NASA recently observed the asteroid 1997 QK1, a 660-foot-wide space rock, during its closest approach to Earth at 1.9 million miles on August 20th. This ancient asteroid hasn’t come near our planet for over 350 years, allowing astronomers to study its size, rotation, surface, and shape using radar images from the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone Solar System Radar.
Despite being classified as a potentially dangerous asteroid, NASA assures that it poses no immediate threat to Earth. Millions of asteroids, many harmless, orbit the Sun, primarily in the belt between Mars and Jupiter. Currently, astronomers are tracking nearly 40,000 large space rocks, with new discoveries made every year.
While the risk of an asteroid impact is extremely low, even smaller asteroids can cause significant damage. NASA is developing warning systems and deflection strategies to mitigate this risk. The successful DART mission in 2022 demonstrated the possibility of altering an asteroid’s path.
The recent findings about 1997 QK1 revealed it spins every five hours and is shaped like a peanut—a contact binary with two lobes of different sizes. Approximately 15% of near-Earth asteroids have a similar shape, often formed from loose material over time. Notably, 1997 QK1 will approach Earth again in 2039, getting as close as 1.5 million miles.
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