Are we watching the skies for the next cosmic catastrophe?
In short: From tracking orbits at the Smithsonian to visualizing 42,000 known near-Earth objects, discover how astronomers monitor the asteroids and comets that could impact our planet.
This video explores the vital work of professional and amateur astronomers in detecting near-Earth objects. It highlights facilities like LINEAR in New Mexico and the Smithsonian's Minor Planet Center, which track orbits to predict possible hits or misses. You can also explore real-time 3D visualizations of approximately 42,000 known near-Earth objects, distinguishing between blue asteroids and white comets. The footage provides context on how space collisions drive the evolution of our Solar System, noting that while plate tectonics erase many impact craters, evidence like Arizona's 50,000-year-old meteor crater remains.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Science Bulletins: Impact! Tracking Near-Earth Asteroids
- Also: Eyes on Asteroids - NASA/JPL
- Also: NASA Science — Near-Earth Asteroids as of December 2025 - NASA Science
- Also: www.sciencedaily.com — Near-Earth Object Impacts News
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