NASA reveal what you need to know about asteroids
On December 1, an object called Asteroid 2020 SO flew by Earth at an extremely close distance. According to astronomers, the mysterious object came within just 13 percent of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
As it did, it got caught in Earth’s orbit, giving our planet a new ‘mini-moon’.
Analysis from NASA revealed the ‘asteroid’ in question was actually a rocket booster from the launch of Surveyor 2 in 1966.
The object was a Centaur rocket booster, which was used to launch Surveyor 2 in what was NASA’s second time landing an uncrewed machine on the Moon.
NASA collected data from the Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and orbit analysis from the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to determine the orbit of 2020 SO.
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They found it has come close to our planet several times over the past decades, including in 1966.
This time around, however, it got trapped by Earth, where it has been orbiting for two months.
Now, the object will swing within a few thousand miles of Earth, and the Virtual Telescope Project is offering you the chance to watch the extremely close approach.
The Virtual Telescope Project said: “After its extremely close fly-by last Dec., 2020 SO is safely coming very close again, this time to say farewell.
“As we know, it is the booster of the Surveyor 2 space mission, which was temporarily captured by our planet.
“Soon, this artificial mini-moon will leave our neighbourhood, escaping into on a new orbit around the Sun.
“We will say it goodbye, live: join us from the comfort of your home!”
The live-stream will kick off on the Virtual Telescope Project’s website at 10pm GMT this evening, February 1.
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Following tonight, the defunct rocket will then circle away from our planet, escaping the gravitational clutches come March.
NASA said: “2020 SO made its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 1, 2020, and will remain within Earth’s sphere of gravitational dominance—a region in space called the ‘Hill Sphere’ that extends roughly 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometres) from our planet—until it escapes back into a new orbit around the Sun in March 2021.
“As NASA-funded telescopes survey the skies for asteroids that could pose an impact threat to Earth, the ability to distinguish between natural and artificial objects is valuable as nations continue to explore and more artificial objects find themselves in orbit about the Sun.
“Astronomers will continue to observe this particular relic from the early Space Age until it’s gone.”
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