Discover the Approaching Near-Earth Asteroid: What You Need to Know
NASA reveals details about an upcoming close approach of asteroid 1994 PC1, one of the closest in two centuries, and ongoing efforts to protect Earth from potential asteroid threats.
No need for alarm.
NASA reports that on January 18, asteroid 1994 PC1 will make its closest approach to Earth in nearly 200 years. This space rock will pass at a distance of about 1.93 million kilometers—approximately five times the distance between Earth and the Moon—traveling at a speed of 20 kilometers per second.
The asteroid measures roughly one kilometer in diameter. Although it won’t be visible to the naked eye, astronomy enthusiasts can capture images of 1994 PC1 using amateur telescopes combined with cameras set for exposure times between 30 and 45 seconds, as noted by EarthSky.
While 1994 PC1 poses no threat to our planet, it belongs to the category of near-Earth objects (NEOs). These include comets and asteroids with orbits that bring them within 48 million kilometers of Earth, and NASA alongside other space agencies monitor them closely.
Looking ahead, NASA plans to launch the DART mission in September, aiming to deliberately collide a spacecraft with asteroid Didymos to alter its orbit. If successful, this pioneering technique could serve as a planetary defense strategy against future asteroid hazards.
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