Explore key differences between meteors, asteroids, and comets. Discover origins, characteristics, and fascinating facts about these space objects. Human curiosity about celestial objects has always drawn our gaze upward, leading us to question and...

Experiment Earth is constantly bombarded by small particles from space. Most burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere. Larger asteroids strike far less frequently, but their potential impact can be catastrophic. For that reason, planetary defense...

The first data from the world’s most advanced sky-mapping camera has revealed a hidden population of asteroids spinning at dizzying speeds, challenging everything we know about how these space rocks hold themselves together. The Vera C. Rubin...

While Apophis itself is not hazardous, understanding its behaviour will help scientists predict how comparable near‑Earth asteroids might react during close passes, enhancing risk‑assessment tools. An artist’s impression of the multiple spacecraft in...

during this rare encounter. Why the 2029 Apophis Flyby Matters Apophis, a 375‑metre rock, ranks among the most scrutinised asteroids because its 2029 trajectory will bring it within roughly 32,000 kilometres of our planet—closer than many geostationary...

Scientists propose buried nuclear blasts that create craters to transfer energy, gradually nudging hazardous asteroids onto safer paths. Scientists have modeled a worst‑case scenario in which a sizable near‑Earth asteroid is spotted only days before a...

from extended missions. This methodology opens doors for future exploration architectures that involve visiting multiple asteroids in a single journey. By using rapid laser ranging to determine the size, shape, and precise location of objects in...

the remainder drifted gradually into the same corridor via the Yarkovsky effect. This subtle force arises because rotating asteroids absorb sunlight and re‑emit heat asymmetrically, producing a tiny thrust that can modify their orbits over extensive...

that spins every 4 minutes, making it the largest ultra-fast rotator ever recorded. Astronomers have uncovered a pair of asteroids that defy the standard laws of orbital physics, spinning at speeds so high they should theoretically tear themselves...

massive asteroid will sweep closer than many satellites, creating a rare sky event Asteroid Apophis will skim the Earth at roughly 32,000 km on 13 April 2029, an altitude lower than many geosynchronous satellites. Although the object will not collide...

Tiny chemical clues inside Moon dust show what kinds of asteroids hit the Earth–Moon system for billions of years, and why those impacts added very little water to Earth. Earth has a short memory. Its surface is always changing as continents move,...

Techniques May Fall Short For decades, space agencies have refined the detection and tracking of potentially hazardous asteroids, building extensive catalogs of near‑Earth objects and forecasting their paths with high accuracy. Although no known body...

Sun than previous theories suggested. The findings, published in Science Advances, propose that the parent bodies of these asteroids formed near the ancient water-ice line—a critical temperature boundary in the early protoplanetary disk. This location...

expose fresh material, helping scientists understand how planetary encounters contribute to the physical weathering of asteroids over time. Additionally, the weak gravitational pull of the asteroid might allow loose dust particles to rise hundreds of...

NASA’s Psyche probe leverages a Mars flyby to calibrate instruments and gather unique planetary data en route to its asteroid mission. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft performed a close‑up flyby of Mars in July 2026, gathering fresh measurements and rare...

system. The research, published in Nature Astronomy and led by Toru Matsumoto of Kyoto University, suggests that ancient asteroids functioned as long-term chemical reservoirs, preserving volatile ingredients that eventually helped seed nascent planets....

already rewriting our understanding of solar system history. While its primary objective—a deep-space survey of the Trojan asteroids orbiting Jupiter—does not officially commence until August 2027, the mission has already identified unprecedented...

the planet, China has announced plans to build a national early‑warning network aimed at spotting potentially hazardous asteroids well before they approach Earth. China Announces Nationwide Asteroid Alert System The proposal expands Beijing’s rapidly...

New close‑up of asteroid Kamoʻoalewa shows its unique shape as scientists plan detailed studies and future sample missions to uncover its origins. China’s Tianwen‑2 probe has snapped the inaugural close‑up photograph of Kamoʻoalewa, a diminutive...

Astronomers have developed a new geometric method to accurately simulate the complex orbital motion of binary asteroids with irregular shapes. Predicting the long-term behavior of binary asteroid systems—where two celestial bodies dance in a tight...