At 10:23 p.m. Friday, an asteroid exploded over the Norwegian Sea. This was exactly what scientists from NASA's Center for the Study of Near-Earth Objects and the Object Coordination Center had predicted just a few minutes before. ESA's Near Earth Observation Center (NEOCC). Despite the fact that EB5 is 2022 in size, it has never been a threat to human life. However, its prediction of the point of impact is a significant milestone in the planetary defense strategy. This is the fifth time that a rock has been found on a collision course, and it was observed until it collides into the atmosphere.
At 8:24 p.m. on Friday, Krisztian Sarneczky (an astronomer from Hungary's Piszkesteto observatory) saw a bright object crossing the sky. After four confirmation observations and 14 minutes, he reported his discovery to the Minor Planets Center of the Smithsonian Observatory for Astrophysics.
Early calculations indicated that there was less than one percent chance that the rock would strike Earth. Sarneczky made ten more observations and the situation changed. CNEOS and NEOCC were alerted: the probability of an impact increased to 100%. It was determined that the event would take place in the Norwegian Sea (about 140 km south of Jan Mayen Island) at 10:23 p.m.
Scientists didn't know the size of this asteroid but it appeared to be between one and two meters in brightness. It collided with the planet in the expected area at the time. Despite not being able to capture video or take photos, the location was confirmed by infrasound detectors.
Asteroid 2022 EB5 - transformed into a streak in center of image by moving very quickly - observed by Klet Observatory in Czech Republic less 13 minutes before impact. Klet Observatory
Tiny asteroids such as 2022 EB5 impact the atmosphere about once every ten months. Paul Chodas, CNEOS director, stated that very few asteroids have been observed in space or detected before the crash. This is due to their faintness until the last hours of the day. A survey telescope must be able to see the right spot in the sky to detect them. These rocks are not easy to detect because they break down during entry into the atmosphere.
NASA and ESA have programs that detect near-Earth objects. These are rocks that may cross our planet's path and pose a threat to humanity. There is currently no evidence that large asteroid will pose a threat to humanity in the next 100 years. However, many smaller asteroid sizes are not being counted. The impact of an object with these dimensions could have catastrophic consequences for the region.
It would take years to spot a rock in a collision and send a projectile to hit it. This would allow you to divert the trajectory of the rock. DART, a NASA spacecraft is currently traveling towards an asteroid measuring 140 meters in diameter. It will collide with it in September. The projectile will then divert it from its path in the first planetary defense test. The effectiveness of asteroid surveillance system's early detection of objects as small as 2022 EB5 is confirmed by their prompt detection.
