The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has unveiled a powerful new tool that allows users to track asteroids, comets, and spacecraft orbiting near Earth in real-time. The tool, called Eyes on Asteroids, is a web application that can be accessed from mobile devices and computers, without requiring any downloads. The platform uses scientific data that is updated twice a day to provide users with information about the trajectory and movement of these objects in real-time.
The number of near-Earth objects (NEOs) is constantly increasing, and with Eyes on Asteroids, users can explore new discoveries as they are added to the platform. Every year, thousands of NEOs are detected and carefully tracked by astronomers funded by NASA, in case any could represent a potential impact threat to our planet.
Eyes on Asteroids is a user-friendly tool that allows users to observe the movement of known near-Earth asteroids and comets as they orbit the sun. The platform provides detailed information about these objects and allows users to view the trajectory of space missions, such as NASA’s OSIRIS-REx and the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission.
The goal of the platform is to make the exploration of near-Earth objects accessible to the general public, while also providing concrete information about the importance of monitoring bodies that could represent a threat to Earth. The tool is developed with the support of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office and JPL’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, using data from the Solar System Dynamics database for real-time tracking of these objects.
The Eyes on Asteroids visualization is updated constantly, and as soon as a new object is discovered and its orbit is calculated, it is added to the web application. The platform has recently added asteroid 2008 OS7, which is approaching Earth and has sparked the interest of millions of people. However, NASA has assured that there is no danger of impact with the earth, as the asteroid will pass at a distance of 2.8 million kilometers from our planet.
The platform not only emphasizes the importance of space surveillance but also highlights the role of space missions in increasing our understanding of the nearby universe. With this powerful tool, NASA hopes to educate the public about the nature and movement of near-Earth objects, while demystifying any perceived danger associated with these objects.