Explore the live stream from Italy’s Bellatrix Observatory through the Virtual Telescope Project, which showcases multiple telescopes broadcasting the flyby of near-Earth asteroids online.
While many small asteroids pass by Earth unnoticed, some even enter the atmosphere as brilliant fireballs, captivating observers worldwide.
The notorious Chelyabinsk meteor holds the record as the largest space rock to have entered Earth’s atmosphere in recent years. In 2013, it exploded over Russia, scattering rock fragments across the Chelyabinsk region, damaging buildings and shattering windows.
This explosion, triggered by atmospheric friction, released an energy equivalent to 30 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, as reported by NASA. Weighing around 11,000 tons and measuring approximately 59 feet in diameter, the Chelyabinsk meteor is slightly smaller than asteroid 2026 JH2; however, its exact size remains under investigation.
Astronomers utilize a sophisticated network of ground and space telescopes to monitor asteroids and comets that may approach our planet. NASA’s Near Earth Observation Program plays a crucial role in identifying potentially hazardous asteroids and analyzing their orbits to assess any threat.
Currently, astronomers are closely monitoring a significant space rock, anticipated to pass even closer to Earth than asteroid 2026 JH2 in the near future.
Known as Apophis, this asteroid spans approximately 1,200 feet in diameter and is projected to come within 20,000 miles of Earth on April 13, 2029.
NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft is slated to rendezvous with Apophis in June 2029 to investigate how Earth’s gravity influences the orbits and physical characteristics of such celestial bodies. This mission follows the successful OSIRIS-REx mission, which collected the first-ever samples from an asteroid and is on schedule to return to Earth in 2023.
Launched in 2016, the OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft faces potential mission termination as outlined in the Trump administration’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal, which includes significant cuts to NASA’s funding. If enacted, over 50 missions, including OSIRIS-APEX, may be canceled.
Source: www.nbcnews.com