Have you ever imagined that an asteroid could collide with Earth without us even knowing its existence until a few hours before? For that is exactly what happened recently, according to an article published by Earth. An asteroid was detected a few hours before reaching our planet, and this generated a lot of discussion about how we are prepared to deal with these spatial threats.
The Asteroid “Surprise”
The asteroid, which was discovered only a few hours before impact, surprised astronomers. It was detected by telescopes in an attempt to monitor objects close to Earth, but unfortunately there was not enough time to perform preventive action. Fortunately, the object was small enough not to cause great damage to our planet.
This type of event is a reminder that even with all the technology available, there is still much to do in terms of surveillance and preparation for possible collisions with larger asteroids. What is most surprising is the speed with which this asteroid was identified and the speed with which it collided with Earth.
What could have happened?
Even if the asteroid had fallen into an inhabited area, it could have caused damage. Fortunately, these space objects tend to disintegrate into the atmosphere by contacting our planet. However, this occurrence rekindles an old debate on how to deal with larger and potentially more dangerous celestial bodies.
NASA and other space agencies are constantly monitoring the sky in search of asteroids and other objects that may pose a threat. Most asteroids near Earth are monitored, but there are gaps in detection systems, and the recent case is an example that sometimes an asteroid can go unnoticed.
How do Detection Systems work?
Asteroid detection systems use powerful telescopes to track the sky in search of moving objects that can pose a threat to Earth. These telescopes observe the movement of objects in relation to the fixed stars in the sky. Once something is identified, scientists calculate their trajectory to see if it is on a collision course with the planet.
The problem is that these systems cannot identify all objects, especially minors. In the case of this recent asteroid, it was too small to be detected in advance, which leaves us with the lesson that we need to improve our space surveillance systems.
What is the Future Reserve?
Scientists are always working to improve these detection systems. There are ongoing projects to launch space telescopes and even missions to divert asteroids that can pose a real threat to Earth. But until then, we remain vulnerable to surprises like the one that happened recently.
In the future, we expect these incidents to become increasingly rare, as asteroid monitoring technology advances. However, for now, this type of event is a reminder that the space still holds many surprises, and we need to be always attentive.
What did you think of this article? Are we really prepared to face space threats? Leave your comment below and share your reviews!
Source: Earth
More information: Wikipedia of asteroids
