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Scientists Monitoring ‘City-Killer’ Asteroids to Prevent Future Disasters
Scientists around the world are closely monitoring near-Earth objects (NEOs), including the so-called “city-killer” asteroids—space rocks large enough to cause significant destruction if they were to collide with Earth. These asteroids, often measuring between 50 and 200 meters in diameter, are not as large as the one that wiped out the dinosaurs, but they are still capable of devastating cities, regions, or even entire countries.
The Threat of City-Killer Asteroids
Astronomers define a “city-killer” asteroid as one that could unleash explosive energy comparable to nuclear weapons if it were to strike a populated area. For example, the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor, which exploded over Russia with the force of about 30 Hiroshima bombs, was only about 20 meters wide. It injured over 1,500 people and caused millions of dollars in damage—yet it was far smaller than some of the asteroids currently being tracked.
One of the biggest concerns is that some of these asteroids can go undetected until they are dangerously close. In 2019, a 100-meter-wide asteroid, designated 2019 OK, passed within 70,000 kilometers of Earth—less than one-fifth the distance to the Moon—without being spotted until just days before its closest approach. This near miss highlighted the gaps in planetary defense and the need for better detection systems.
How Scientists Monitor Asteroids
Space agencies like NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and independent observatories worldwide use telescopes and radar systems to track potentially hazardous asteroids. Programs such as NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations (NEOO) Program and the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii scan the skies for new threats.
Astronomers categorize asteroids based on their orbits:
• Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs): Those that come within 7.5 million kilometers of Earth and are at least 140 meters wide.
• Near-Earth Objects (NEOs): Asteroids or comets that pass within 50 million kilometers of our planet.
Scientists use calculations to predict an asteroid’s future trajectory and assess the risk of impact. If an asteroid is determined to be on a collision course, experts can devise strategies to deflect it or mitigate damage.
Defending Earth: Can We Stop an Impact
In recent years, planetary defense strategies have taken a major leap forward. In 2022, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) successfully altered the orbit of an asteroid called Dimorphos, proving that kinetic impact could be a viable method to prevent a collision. Other potential methods include:
• Gravity Tractors: Using a spacecraft’s gravitational pull to slowly shift an asteroid’s trajectory.
• Nuclear Deflection: Detonating a nuclear device near an asteroid to alter its path (though this is considered a last resort).
• Solar Sails or Laser Ablation: Using sunlight or lasers to heat one side of an asteroid, causing it to change course due to the release of gases.
Looking to the Future
Although no city-killer asteroid is currently known to be on a direct collision course with Earth, scientists continue to improve detection methods and refine defense strategies. The upcoming NASA NEO Surveyor mission, set to launch in the late 2020s, will enhance our ability to track hazardous asteroids. Meanwhile, international cooperation between space agencies remains crucial in preparing for future threats.
For now, the chances of a catastrophic asteroid impact remain low, but ongoing research and monitoring ensure that if a threat does arise, humanity will be better prepared than ever to respond.
Attached is a news article regarding the city killer asteroid
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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