Witness an Out-of-This-World Sight: Apollo Group Asteroid Zooming Past Earth Today!
Scientists have discovered that asteroids, while capable of causing significant destruction if they collide with Earth, can also serve as a valuable resource. By studying asteroids, scientists gain insights into the early solar system and the conditions during planet formation. However, a groundbreaking experiment suggests that asteroids could potentially shield Earth from the Sun’s powerful rays, thus helping to mitigate climate change. Astronomer Istvan Szapudi from the University of Hawai’i Institute for Astronomy has proposed the concept of a space-based solar radiation management (SRM) shield or shade, which would be attached to an asteroid as a counterbalance.
In another development, NASA has now revealed that an asteroid is set to pass very close to Earth today and has released details of its approach.
Asteroid 2023 VD3: Details of the close approach
The space agency has issued a warning about an asteroid that will fly very close to Earth today, November 8. According to the details, the asteroid, named Asteroid 2023 VD3, will pass the Earth at a distance of about 490,000 km, which is only 100,000 further than the Moon!
Asteroid 2023 VD3 is between 32 and 75 feet wide, making it almost the size of a house! Not only does the asteroid pass close by the earth, but it also orbits at a speed of 64,453 kilometers per hour, which is almost as fast as the space shuttle!
It belongs to Apollo’s group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-passing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth’s. These asteroids are named after the huge 1862 Apollo asteroid discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.
This asteroid has passed the Earth before, NASA has revealed. It flew past the Earth on May 22, 1925 at a distance of 15 million kilometers. After today, however, it is not expected to approach Earth again in the near future.
Artificial intelligence helps in finding asteroids
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing field that is making its mark in almost all fields. It even recently helped India successfully land on the South Pole of the Moon, making it the first country in the world. Astronomers have also used asteroid hunting algorithms. According to a study published by the University of Washington, an algorithm called HelioLinc3D helped scientists find a potentially dangerous asteroid. Asteroid 2022 SF289, which is nearly 600 feet across, was discovered during a test of the algorithm in Hawaii and is not considered to be dangerous in the near future.
One more thing! ReturnByte is now on WhatsApp channels! Click here to join so that you never miss any updates from the world of technology.
