NASA Alerts: Five Asteroids Approaching Earth from August 27 to September 1, 2024

NASA has issued an alert about five asteroids that will pass by Earth between August 27 and September 1, 2024. These Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are being actively tracked by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, although they pose no threat to our planet.

You can find the Asteroid details along with their size and approach date in the table below-

The Importance of Asteroid Monitoring

Asteroids are the residue of the formation of our solar system, about 4.6 billion years ago. They are located in the asteroid belt between the planet of Jupiter and Mars, thus they are shielded by the rays of the sun. 

Scientists have picked them as being original in characteristics of the early solar system; studying them will give researchers more understanding of how life started on our planet.

Other works have also given scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that the Chicxulub impactor which caused one of the most devastating mass extinctions around 66 million years back was indeed an asteroid.

Although none of the asteroids are expected to come close to the Earth within the next seven days, one has to remain aware as we have seen with the asteroid experiences in the recent past.

Potential Risks Associated with Asteroids of This Size

Several dangers of asteroids are associated with objects of space, especially taking into consideration their sizes and their flight paths. While sending such semi-truck-sized or smaller space rocks to burn up in the atmosphere or leave small craters, the big ones can be fatal. 

The following are the possible threats posed by asteroids that are between 11.5 and 33 meters which are similar to those observed by NASA in recent months.

1. Impact Damage

Large asteroids when they impact the Earth's surface cause massive destruction especially where they experience air bursts. For instance, the Tunguska event of the year 1908 was probably an asteroid which exploded in Siberia and flattened as many as 80 million trees over an area of 2,000 square kilometres.

It can be seen that if a similar size of asteroid were to explode on any major city today there would be likely to be tens of millions of people killed at the same time, meaning that more people could be killed at once than in any war or liberation movement in the world today.

2. Airburst Effects

Asteroids that are beneath a kilometre including those that are between 38 and 110 feet are capable of causing airbursts. This takes place when an asteroid breaks apart in the stratosphere forming a shock wave that leads to destruction on big tracts of land. 

The explosion of energy can be vast and people may suffer serious bodily harm and structures will be shattered even if the asteroid never hit the earth’s surface.

3. Climate Disruption

The asteroids that are currently being observed do not pose a very great threat to Earth but the larger ones, particularly those exceeding one kilometre in size impact climate on a long-term basis.

A substantial effect may disperse dust and particles into space that would cover the sunlight hence a nuclear winter. This could drastically impact agriculture at large thereby resulting in food scarcity and more so societal breakdown.

4. Frequency of Near-Earth Encounters

Large and small asteroid approaches the Earth regularly. Even though the chances of a large asteroid hitting the Earth are rare, many smaller asteroids can pass through the vicinity of the Earth. Monitoring is required for identifying threats that may exist and the level of risks that may be likely to occur.

NASA's alert highlights the importance of ongoing asteroid surveillance and the need for a strong planetary defence system. By closely monitoring these NEOs, scientists can gather valuable data that will help them better understand the formation of our solar system and the origins of life on Earth. Additionally, this data can be used to develop effective strategies to protect our planet from potential asteroid impacts in the future.

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