Another asteroid, 2011 MW1, is speeding towards Earth at 28,946 kmph. NASA has issued a warning regarding this asteroid, which is classified as an Apollo-class asteroid and is approximately 380 feet in size. According to NASA’s CNEOS data, it will be just 2.4 million miles away at its closest approach on July 25.
2011 MW1 is a massive asteroid whose orbit comes close to Earth’s orbit but not too near. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has labelled it a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) due to its proximity, but it is not categorized as a ‘Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA).’ NASA has identified fewer than 35,000 Near Earth Objects (NEOs). While its size is comparable to that of a skyscraper, NASA assures that the asteroid poses no threat to Earth, though its trajectory and motion are being closely monitored.
Asteroids, often called minor planets, are remnants from the early solar system’s formation. Unlike planets, they are much smaller and primarily orbit the sun. Most asteroids are found in the main asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. As of July 2024, there are 1,385,217 known asteroids, according to JPL’s Solar System Dynamics website. These celestial bodies provide valuable insights into the conditions and processes that shaped our solar system billions of years ago.
NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is responsible for characterizing the orbits of all Near Earth Objects predicting their approaches to Earth and assessing their impact risks. NEOs are asteroids or comets whose orbits are within 120 million miles of the Sun and can fly by Earth’s orbital neighbourhood, posing potential risks.
NASA operates several observatories dedicated to collecting asteroid-tracking information. These include PAN-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey, NASA’s NEOWISE mission, and the new NEO Surveyor. Additionally, radar initiatives like the Goldstone Solar System Radar Group complement NASA’s NEO Observations Program. Space agencies are also developing technologies to address potential threats from celestial bodies, such as the DART mission.
