EarthAsteroid

EarthAsteroids refer to asteroids that have orbits bringing them near Earth's vicinity. These celestial bodies, primarily composed of rock and metal, originate from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter but can be perturbed into Earth-crossing orbits by gravitational interactions. EarthAsteroids are categorized into different groups based on their orbital characteristics, including Atens, Apollos, and Amors.

The study of EarthAsteroids is crucial for planetary defense, as some pose potential impact threats to Earth. NASA and other space agencies actively monitor these objects to identify potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs). The Chicxulub impactor, which caused the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event approximately 66 million years ago, is believed to have been a large EarthAsteroid.

Recent missions such as NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) have demonstrated techniques for potentially altering the trajectory of EarthAsteroids. These missions provide valuable data that could one day be used to protect Earth from a catastrophic impact event. While the probability of a large EarthAsteroid impact is low, continued monitoring and research remain essential for humanity's long-term safety.