Speedy Space Object
It’s always good toknow that our defense systems work.
On July 6th,(I believe it was in 2024, but I could be wrong), automated systems that studythe skies for potentially hazardous objects sent out a warning. Estimated atabout 164 ft (50 m) in diameter, the object was spotted hurtling towards Earth.Its path would take it uncomfortably close to the moon and our planet. However,it was not an asteroid.
As objects move throughthe sky, different observatories identify whether it’s a new object and if itmight pose a hazard to Earth. Follow-up observations determined that the objectwas actually the European Space Agency’s Juice (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer)spacecraft. The probe was flying by Earth and the moon to exploit gravity as itslingshot through space.
But the Juicespacecraft isn’t 50 meters across. Its solar panel wings measure only 27 meters(88 feet), which is quite big for a deep space probe. Because it appeared verybright, owing to its reflective solar panels, the automated system initiallyestimated the object was a larger rock.
Scanning the skies formenacing objects is important. It gives us time to prepare and evacuate acertain area, if that’s necessary. Scientists agree that we need to know what’scoming, when it’s coming, and how hard it’s going to hit.
Space rocks do veerinto our area of the solar system from time to time. But there are no knownasteroids on course to collide with Earth for at least the next 100 years.
Even relatively smallrocks are still threatening, as proven by the 56-foot (17 meters) rock thatexploded over Russia and blew out people’s windows. Every year, on average, anautomobile-sized asteroid plummets through our sky and explodes. Objects about460 ft (140 m) in diameter occur every 10,000 to 20,000 years. And a‘dinosaur-killing’ impact from a rock a half-mile across or larger happens on100-million-year timescales.
Just to ease your mind,the dinosaurs went extinct about 66 million years ago.
