Can We Stop Asteroid Bennu?
Dr Ben Miles・14 minutes read
Albedo is the measure of reflectivity, with coal at 10%, the moon at 7%, and "Planet Killers" asteroids at 2 to 7%. Various asteroid sizes pose threats to Earth, as seen with past events like the Chicxulub impactor and the importance of close observation like with asteroid Benu for future missions.
Insights
- Asteroids of different sizes present varying levels of threat based on their diameter, ranging from meteor events to potential global environmental changes.
- Close examination of asteroids like Benu through missions like Osiris provides crucial data on their properties, aiding in predicting trajectories and understanding solar system formation compounds.
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Recent questions
What is albedo?
Albedo is the measure of reflectivity of a surface or body, defined as the ratio of sunlight reflected to sunlight striking it.
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Summary
00:00
Understanding Albedo and Asteroid Threats to Earth
- Albedo is the measure of reflectivity of a surface or body, defined as the ratio of sunlight reflected to sunlight striking it.
- Coal has an albedo of 10%, the moon 7%, and most "Planet Killers" asteroids have albedos of 2 to 7%.
- The Chelyabinsk meteor, 20m across, exploded over Russia in 2013, causing significant damage and injuries.
- Near Earth objects, up to 25m across, often burn up on entry, producing meteor events.
- Tunguska-like objects, 30 to 50m in diameter, can cause significant regional damage, like the 1908 Siberian event.
- City killers, 100m to 1km in diameter, pose a threat, while Planet Killers over 1km can rewrite global environments.
- The Chicxulub impactor, 10 to 15km in diameter, caused the Cretaceous mass extinction event, killing the dinosaurs.
- Over 90% of near Earth objects larger than 1km are tracked, but smaller ones pose a challenge due to uncertainties.
- Chaos Theory complicates precise asteroid path predictions due to gravitational influences and non-gravitational forces.
- Various methods, like nuclear explosions or kinetic impactors, are considered for diverting or destroying asteroids on a collision course with Earth.
15:33
Osiris mission reveals asteroid Benu insights
- Close observations and contact with asteroid Benu provided detailed insights into its surface properties, texture, consistency, and potential hazards, crucial for future asteroid missions. On September 24, 20123, a sample from Benu landed back on Earth, fueling scientific investigations into solar system formation compounds, material properties, and forces on the asteroid to predict its trajectory accurately. Osiris redirected towards the asteroid Apus, 300 meters in diameter, coming within 20,000 miles of Earth, less than the distance to the moon, by 2029, emphasizing the ongoing importance of Osiris's mission.
