Since two years, an asteroid has been under continuous surveillance, for fear that it will approach the Earth * This will happen in 137 years, enough time to organize to deal with the problem
Dr. Noah Brosh
On December 1 - 2140 in 137 years - around 10 at night, a celestial body - a small asteroid, now marked WO107 2000 will pass by the Earth. The special one in the future event: the closest distance that will then be between us and it: only 81 thousand km - the distance The smallest between the earth and a natural body (apart from meteors) that is known today.
The size of the above-mentioned body is not yet known precisely, therefore there are currently no estimates of the damages that may be caused if it collides with us. 2000-WO107-e, was discovered about two years ago and has been continuously monitored by astronomers ever since. The purpose of this: to make sure that there will be no change in the trajectory of his movement - which will turn the approach - into a collision; And "an event interesting to science" - to a catastrophe.
This body, a pale asteroid, belongs to the "Aten" body family. Asteroids are lumps of hard material that surround the Sun similar to the large planets and comets. But rather
that unlike comets - "dirty glaciers" - asteroids do not contain large amounts of volatile matter (water ice, for example).
Research satellites passed by several asteroids and photographed landscapes similar to the lunar landscapes such as craters of different sizes. Assessment: The craters were created by the impact of small space bodies
More.
On the asteroid "Eros", the NEAR satellite landed. Although it was not designed for this, the satellite survived and even transmitted photographs from the landing. The images from "Eros" show an area covered in dust and cracks - perhaps because previous strong collisions of celestial bodies failed to disintegrate. It is possible that the cracks reach deep into Eros, and have filled with dust.
For the time being, less is known about the "Etan" than is known about Eros and his family. The reason: these asteroids move very close to the sun. Some of the research programs carried out in some countries in the world do not include observations (difficult).
Every now and then - if a successful observation is achieved - a new asteroid is discovered, and after studying its trajectory, it turns out that it belongs to the privileged family of the bodies closest to the Sun. Such a body may come very close to the Earth. Indeed, there is then a risk of collision.
The threatening body WO107 2000 is apparently small: its diameter is estimated at 800-400 meters, like a small hill in Israel. He is capable of causing irreparable damage, if his relative speed, between him and the land, is great.
And another reason for concern: its approach to other planets. Its elongated orbit brings it twice as close to the Sun as Mercury. The result: both Hema and Venus may affect his course.
