“This asteroid just grazed us” | But the pictures revealed that they were two merging bodies: just a coincidence that did not reach us – CUENEWS

Close Encounter with the Unknown: The Mystery Behind the Two Melting Orbs That Touched Us.

Asteroids are Rocky bodies that orbit the sunThey are often thought to be leftovers from the formation of the solar system. Most are found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but some can come close to Earth, posing potential threats if their path gets too close.

Throughout history, the Earth has been exposed to these celestial bodies several times. The most famous recent event is the event 2013 ChelyabinskIn Russia, when a meteorite exploded in the atmosphere, causing significant damage but without direct impact on Earth. Similar events occur frequently, but usually involve much smaller objects.

Many asteroids have passed close to our planet without causing damage. These “touches” are carefully studied by astronomers, because they allow us to better understand the risks associated with the so-called “Near-Earth objects” (NEOs).

Thanks to modern technology, we can now precisely monitor these objects and assess the probability of a collision. but, Unpredictability of their pathIt remains, especially in the presence of double or merging asteroids, a challenge to science.

A close encounter with an unexpected asteroid

An unusual alien visitor appeared near Earth last week, giving scientists some amazing images. It’s aboutAsteroid 2024 ISWhich passed a safe distance from our planet on September 17. What made this clip special was the strange shape of the asteroid, which resembles a snowman, making the event particularly interesting from a scientific point of view.

Thanks to the radar images I took Goldstone Radar of the Solar System in CaliforniaIt was discovered that the asteroid consists of two celestial bodies fused together, a formation called a “contact binary.” This formation occurs when two asteroids get close enough to merge in gravity, creating a single object over time. A rare opportunity allowed scientists to closely observe a fascinating type of asteroid.

A fast and potentially dangerous giant

LASTEROID 2024 ON It has large dimensions, as it is about 350 meters long, which is equivalent to the height of a skyscraper, and passes close to the Earth at an amazing speed of more than 31,000 kilometers per hour, which is about 26 times the speed of sound. Although it is classified as “Potentially dangerous”Its passage occurred at a reassuring distance of about one million kilometers, which is much farther than the average distance between the Earth and the Moon.

The radar images provided unprecedented details about the asteroid’s structure, highlighting two “lobes” of different sizes separated by a distinctive neck. This type of formation is not rare among near-Earth asteroids, and estimates indicate that at least 14% of these objects have a similar structure. This event allowed astronomers to improve calculations related to the asteroid’s path. Excluding risks in the near future And demonstrate the importance of advanced space observation techniques.