Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) are space rocks that come within 1.3 astronomical units of Earth. NASA monitors them closely for any potential threats.
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In August 2020, Asteroid 2020 QG passed just 2,950 km from Earth’s surface – the closest an asteroid has ever come without impacting.
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Bennu is a small, near-Earth asteroid that passes close to Earth about every six years.
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Dinkinesh is a small asteroid located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
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Asteroid Didymos and its small moonlet Dimorphos make up what’s called a binary asteroid system – meaning the small moon (Dimorphos) orbits the larger body (Didymos).
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Eros, the first near-Earth asteroid discovered in 1898, is famous for being the first asteroid orbited and landed on by a spacecraft.
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NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office tracks NEAs and provides warnings about potential impacts using advanced telescopes and satellites.
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NASA uses the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) and ground-based telescopes to detect asteroids.
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NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission aims to test whether we can alter the course of an asteroid to prevent a future impact.
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Thousands of asteroids come close to Earth every year, but only a small fraction pose any real threat due to their size or trajectory.
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