Amateur asteroid hunters are still quite active these days. But not like in the older days.
(Photo : Photo credit should read Akihiro IKESHITA/AFP via Getty Images)
This imaginary image, illustrated by Akihiro Ikeshita and released from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) shows Japan's space probe "Hayabusa" (Falcon) and an asteroid, called Itokawa in the space. The Hayabusa, the first spacecraft to bring home raw material from an asteroid.
When you say amateur asteroid hunters, these are individuals-not connected with NASA or other giant space agencies-observing space rocks that might hit Earth.
Bob Stephens, an active amateur asteroid hunter, shared his latest activities.
These include observing a suspected moonlet, tracking an asteroid with an odd tumbling route, as well as co-authoring some Jupiter asteroid papers.
Stephens clarified that tracking space rocks is just his hobby with all these asteroid-related activities.
"I fell into a bad crowd and got associated with a bunch of professional astronomers," he said via Mashable.
Why Amateur Asteroid Hunters are Important in Planetary Defense
When amateur asteroid hunters were at their prime, they always conducted tedious meteor tracking activities. Most of the rocks they study are formed in the solar system around 4.6 billion years ago.
(Photo : Photo by DAVID BECKER/AFP via Getty Images)
The Comet NEOWISE or C/2020 F3, with its two tails visible, is seen in the sky above Goldfield, Nevada on July 18, 2020. - The Comet C/2020 F3 was discovered March 27, 2020, by NEOWISE, the Near Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, which is a space telescope launched by NASA in 2009.
Also Read: NASA Warning! An Asteroid is Passing By Earth on Jan. 18 | How to Watch Using Telescope
However, since NASA and other space agencies decided to focus on asteroid tracking activities, these amateur meteor trackers now lie low.
Although this is the case, their works are still helping giant space companies. As of press time, most of them confirm asteroids detected by NASA professionals and other space experts.
Some of them also answer difficult questions about asteroids, such as their rotations, appearances, etc.
Planetary Defense Status
Although no asteroid impacts harmful to humans were recorded, NASA and other space companies are still making efforts to prevent possible giant asteroid Earth entry.
One of the projects focusing on preventing meteor impacts is NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission, a program that aims to change an asteroid's trajectory.
If they are really taking asteroid impact seriously, how likely is this natural disaster to happen? Space.Com reported that Earth has already experienced many meteor impacts.
But most of them are not that serious. NASA even confirmed that asteroids the size of a small car enter the Earth's atmosphere every year.
In 2021, NASA DART's Kinetic Impactor was announced.
On the other hand, NASA "Eyes on Asteroid" online tool was also revealed.
For more news updates about amateur asteroid hunters and other space experts, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
Related Article: James Webb Telescope Practices in Keeping an Eye on Objects in the Solar System, Starting with an Asteroid
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Written by: Griffin Davis
