If you want to game out every possible disaster scenario, you can consider one more: an interstellar object entering our solar system at high velocity. The two known interstellar comets — ‘Oumuamua and Borisov — entered our solar system at a speed of about 5 AU per year. If we spotted an interstellar Pluto headed our way, and we spotted it at a distance of 50 AU, we might then have only a decade or so of warning.
Quite a lot has been going on:
Explained: Is the ‘Burj Khalifa-sized’ asteroid approaching Earth a threat?
A relatively large-sized asteroid, named 153201 (2000 WO107), would be safely moving past Earth on November 29 (Sunday), and will be the closest to our planet at 10:38 am Indian Standard Time.
And, as it happens every time an asteroid is approaching, social media platforms have been set abuzz with panicky users talking about doomsday scenarios. This week, the same is happening due to 153201 (2000 WO107), the asteroid is "the size of Burj Khalifa".
In reality, a civilisation-threatening risk from space objects is extremely rare – occurring once every few million years, according to NASA.
December's Geminid meteor shower comes from the asteroid Phaethon | Science News
On Sunday night, December 13, countless meteors will shoot across the sky as space particles burn up in our atmosphere and meet a fiery end. Most meteor showers occur when Earth slams into debris left behind by a comet.
Although both comets and asteroids are small objects orbiting the sun, icy comets sprout beautiful tails when their ice vaporizes in the heat of the sun. In contrast, asteroids have earned the name "vermin of the skies" for streaking through and ruining photographs of celestial vistas by reflecting the sun's light.
Japan is about to bring back samples of an asteroid 180 million miles away | MIT Technology Review
On December 5, Earth is getting a delivery of something literally out of this world: some small grains and dust snatched up from an asteroid 180 million miles away. Once safely back on Earth, the fragments of Ryugu will help scientists learn more about how the solar system formed.
All of this went a long way toward helping scientists better understand Ryugu , a primitive rock rich in carbon, though more porous, rubbly, and containing less hydrated minerals than initially predicted. Asteroids like Ryugu are the most common type, but because they are so dark, they are tricky to study through telescopes.
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Lab developing device to help Earth dodge asteroids
This year, the company won a European Space Agency (ESA) contract to develop timers that will study the possibility of re-directing an asteroid before it comes too close to our planet for comfort.
NASA plans to launch the first part of the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission—known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART)—on July 22, 2021 on a Falcon 9 rocket belonging to tech tycoon Elon Musk's Space X.
The 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) camera-equipped probe will fly to an asteroid named Didymos and smash into it, trying to blow it off its current course that will see it pass near Earth sometime in 2123.
Japan spacecraft carrying asteroid soil samples nears home - ABC News
Scientists at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency believe the samples, especially those taken from under the asteroid's surface, contain valuable data unaffected by space radiation and other environmental factors.
Makoto Yoshikawa, a Hayabusa2 project mission manager, said scientists are especially interested in analyzing organic materials in the Ryugu soil samples.
JAXA staff have set up satellite dishes at several locations in the target area to catch the signals, while also preparing marine radar, drones and helicopters to assist in the search and retrieval mission.
Asteroid, nearly as big as Burj Khalifa, to fly by earth today - science - Hindustan Times
An asteroid named (153201) 2000 WO107, that is more than 800 metre high and over 500 metre wide - bigger than skyscraper Burj Khalifa - will barrel past earth on November 29 and will be closest to our planet at 10.38 am, according to scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa).
Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building with a height of 829.8 metre and asteroid 2000 WO107, which was discovered in 2000, has a diameter is 820 metre.
In Latvia, new technology that could one day prevent asteroids from hitting Earth | Euronews
Deep in the Riga Technical University campus, a team of researchers are looking at technology that will one day help prevent asteroids from hitting Earth.
The very high-precision chronoscopes built by hand in the laboratory of the Latvian start-up Eventech are used today to track the movements of satellites.
This year, the company won a contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop instruments capable of assessing the possibility of deflecting the course of an asteroid before it gets too close to our planet.
Happening on Twitter
Pleased to speak with Allied leaders and @NATO Secretary General @JensStoltenberg today to discuss progress in the… https://t.co/J8Yez7EIgq SecPompeo Wed Dec 02 17:25:44 +0000 2020
"We've got 2 great candidates with @KLoeffler & @Perduesenate—business people, common sense. They respect hard work… https://t.co/YMEiUbdxOX GOP Thu Dec 03 00:33:14 +0000 2020
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