Dangerous asteroids for the earth. Asteroids that pose a serious threat to the earth

The Chelyabinsk bolide drew attention to space, from where the fall of asteroids and meteors can be expected. Interest in meteorites, their search and sale has increased.

Chelyabinsk meteorite, photo from Polit.ru

Asteroid, meteor and meteorite

Flight trajectories asteroids designed for a century ahead, they are constantly monitored. These potentially dangerous for the Earth cosmic bodies (a kilometer or more in size) shine with light reflected from the Sun, so they appear dark from the Earth part of the time. Amateur astronomers do not always manage to see them, as city lighting, haze, etc. interfere. It is interesting that most of the asteroids are discovered not by professional astronomers, but by amateurs. Some are even awarded international prizes for this. There are such lovers of astronomy in Russia and in other countries. Russia, unfortunately, is losing because of the lack of telescopes. Now that the decision to fund the work to protect the Earth from the cosmic threat has been made public, scientists have hopes to acquire telescopes that can scan the sky at night and warn of impending danger. Astronomers also hope to obtain modern wide-angle telescopes (at least two meters in diameter) with digital cameras.

Smaller asteroids meteoroidsflying in near-earth space outside the atmosphere can be noticed more often when they fly close to the Earth. And the speed of these celestial bodies is about - 30 - 40 km per second! The flight of such a "stone" to the Earth can be foreseen (at best) only in one or two days. In order to understand how little this is, the following fact is indicative: the distance from the Moon to the Earth is covered in just a few hours.

Meteor looks like a shooting star. It flies in the Earth's atmosphere, often adorned with a burning tail. There are real meteor showers in the sky. It is more correct to call them meteor showers. Many are known in advance. Some, however, happen unexpectedly when the Earth encounters rocks or lumps of metal wandering through the solar system.

Bolide, a very large meteor, looks like a fireball with sparks flying in all directions and a bright tail. The fireball is visible even against the background of the daytime sky. It can illuminate huge spaces at night. The path of the car is marked with a smoky strip. It has a zigzag shape due to air currents.

When a body passes through the atmosphere, a shock wave arises. A strong shock wave can shake buildings and the ground. It generates blows similar to explosions and crashes.

A cosmic body that fell to Earth is called meteorite... This is a rock-solid remnant of those meteoric bodies lying on the ground, which did not completely collapse while moving in the atmosphere. In flight, braking begins from air resistance, and kinetic energy is converted into heat and light. The temperature of the surface layer and the air shell in this case reaches several thousand degrees. The meteoroid partially evaporates and ejects fiery drops. During landing, the meteor debris quickly cools down and falls to the ground warm. From above, they are covered with a melting crust. The place of the fall often takes the form of a depression. L. Rykhlova, head of the department of space astrometry at the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, reported that “about 100 thousand tons of meteoroid matter falls on the Earth every year” (“Echo of Moscow”, 17.02.2013). There are very small and fairly large meteorites. So, the Goba meteorite (1920, South-West Africa, iron) had a mass of about 60 tons, and the Sikhote-Alinsky (1947, USSR, which fell in an iron rain) - an estimated mass of about 70 tons, collected 23 tons.

Meteorites are composed of eight basic elements: iron, nickel, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, aluminum, calcium, and oxygen. There are other elements, but in small quantities. Meteorites vary in composition. Basic: iron (iron in combination with nickel and a small amount of cobalt), stony (a combination of silicon with oxygen, inclusions of metal are possible; small rounded particles are visible on the fracture), iron-stone (an equal amount of stony matter and iron with nickel). Some meteorites are of Martian or lunar origin: when large asteroids fall, an explosion occurs on the surface of these planets, and parts of the planet's surface are thrown into space.

Sometimes meteorites are confused with tektites... These are small black or greenish-yellow molten pieces of silicate glass. They are formed at the time of the impact of large meteorites on the Earth. There is an assumption about the extraterrestrial origin of tektites. Outwardly, tektites resemble obsidian. They are collected, and jewelers process and use these "precious stones" to decorate their products.

Are meteorites dangerous to humans?

Only a few cases of direct meteorite hitting houses, cars or people have been recorded. Most of the meteorites end up in the ocean (this is almost three quarters of the earth's surface). Densely populated and industrial areas are smaller. The chance of hitting them is much less. Although sometimes, as we can see, this happens and leads to great destruction.

Can you touch meteorites with your hands? They are not considered to pose any danger. But taking meteorites with dirty hands is not worth it. They are advised to immediately put them in a clean plastic bag.

How much does a meteorite cost?

Meteorites can be distinguished by a number of features. First of all, they are very heavy. On the surface of the "stone" smoothed dents and depressions ("fingerprints on clay") are clearly visible, there is no stratification. Fresh meteorites are usually dark, as they melt as they travel through the atmosphere. This characteristic dark melting crust is about 1 mm thick (more commonly). Often a meteorite is recognized by the blunt shape of its head. The fracture is often gray in color, with small balls (chondrules) that differ from the crystalline structure of granite. Blotches of iron are clearly visible. From oxidation in air, the color of meteorites that have lain on the ground for a long time becomes brown or rusty. Meteorites are highly magnetized, causing the compass needle to deflect.

To date, about 1,500 potentially dangerous astronomical objects have been discovered. In NASA, they call all asteroids and comets that are more than 100-150 meters in diameter and can approach the Earth closer than 7.5 million kilometers. Four of them are assigned a fairly high level of danger according to the Palermo scale.

According to the Palermo scale, astronomers calculate how dangerous a particular asteroid approaching our planet is. The indicator is calculated using a special formula: if the result is -2 or less, then the probability of a body colliding with the Earth is practically absent, from -2 to 0 - the situation requires careful observation, from 0 and above - the object is likely to collide with the planet. There is also the Turin scale, but it is subjective.

During the entire existence of the Palermo scale, only two objects received a value above zero: 89959 2002 NT7 (0.06 points) and 99942 Apophis (1.11 points). After their discovery, astronomers began to closely study the orbits of the asteroids. As a result, the probability of collision of both bodies with the Earth was completely excluded. Additional research almost always leads to a decrease in the hazard rating, as it allows a more detailed study of the trajectory of the object.

Now the hazard rating is higher than -2 points only for four asteroids: 2010 GZ60 (-0.81), 29075 1950 DA (-1.42), 101955 Bennu 1999 RQ36 (-1.71) and 410777 2009 FD (-1.78 ). Of course, there are still plenty of objects less than 100 meters in diameter that in theory could collide with the Earth, but NASA is tracking them less closely - this is an expensive and technically difficult task.

Asteroid 2010 GZ60 (diameter - 2000 meters) in the period from 2017 to 2116 will approach the Earth 480 times. Some approaches will be quite close - only a few radii of our planet. 29075 1950 DA is slightly smaller (about 1300 meters), but a collision with it will cause catastrophic consequences for humanity - global changes will occur in the biosphere and climate. True, this can only happen in 2880, and even then the probability is very low - about 0.33 percent.

101955 Bennu 1999 RQ36 490 meters in diameter and will divide to Earth 78 times from 2175 to 2199. In the event of a collision with a planet, the force of the explosion will be 1150 megatons in TNT equivalent. For comparison: the strength of the most powerful explosive device AN602 was 58 megatons. 410777 2009 FD is considered potentially dangerous until 2198, the closest to Earth it will fly in 2185. The diameter of the asteroid is 160 meters.

Planet Earth is constantly exposed to dangers because there are asteroid belts nearby. According to scientists, there are about 17 thousand dangerous objects in rows with the planet, their fall to the Earth can cause serious problems for the world's population.

Our planet has a powerful gravitational field, and the fall of a meteorite on it is reduced to zero, but scientists never exclude this possibility. Scientists have discovered that asteroids may still fall to Earth next year.

The researchers analyzed the information and compiled a list of meteorites that may threaten our planet. According to experts, in the new year 90 celestial bodies will fly past the Earth and 13 of them have become a threat to the Earth.

The first to approach the Earth in the month of January are "306383 1993 VD" and "2003 CA4". Also quite large asteroids are expected in February, these are 400-meter "2015 BN509" and 100-meter "2014 WQ202" and most of the celestial bodies will fly near our planet in May and November.

But the biggest danger is the asteroid, "2015 DP155" which will fly by early in the morning on June 11, 2018. It always moves in the outer orbit of Mars, but every two hundred years it moves closer to the sun. Therefore, it will not be difficult for him to approach the Earth. It still has not small dimensions of about 280 meters, in order to completely burn up in the earth's atmosphere.

According to researchers, there are a lot of large asteroids in the solar system, and they all pose a danger to our planet, reports the Rosregistr portal. According to experts, collisions of large celestial bodies with each other are dangerous for the Earth's population. According to them, the particles will enter the atmosphere and leave ozone holes, which will lead to high levels of direct sunlight on the surface.

Scientists say that the collision of the Earth and an asteroid is very rare. Huge cataclysms on our planet have happened several times in the history of mankind. One of the most powerful cataclysms is the fall of a meteorite, which destroyed dinosaurs and some other representatives of the terrestrial fauna. There was also a case of a meteorite falling in Ancient Egypt, but it is mentioned only in the annals.

The likelihood of a person dying from a collision of the Earth with an asteroid or other celestial body can be compared to death in a car accident. And yet it will depend on the size of the celestial body. That is, if we are talking about a sufficiently large object, then it will only affect one continent.

And this means that there can be no talk of any apocalypse. The fall of a meteorite into the ocean poses a great danger to the world's population. In this case, this cataclysm is capable of causing a tsunami, and this, in turn, will bring enormous destruction. According to experts, the likelihood of collisions of asteroids and comets with oceans and seas is much higher than with the earth's surface.

No matter how skeptical people are about the Hollywood story about the fall of a giant asteroid on Earth, space can still pose a serious danger to our planet. The most real threat, by and large, comes precisely from the depths of the immense universe.

Scientists have found that in the history of the planet, collisions with asteroids have repeatedly occurred, and with rather serious consequences. This explains the attention of scientists to dangerous asteroids. These asteroids include those whose hypothetical collision with our planet could lead to the death of humanity. Thus, NASA scientists have identified over 150 celestial bodies that pose a potential threat to human civilization.

The topic of "asteroid attacks" has recently begun to occupy scientists. So, falling meteorites until the second half of the 18th century were taken for optical illusion. Back in the 1960s, experts tried to explain the appearance of craters by "earthly" reasons. Now their cosmic origin is beyond doubt.

So, the death of dinosaurs was recorded on the "conscience" of an asteroid, the diameter of which was about 15 kilometers. 65 million years ago, a collision with this asteroid along with dinosaurs sent to the next world about 85% of plant and animal species. As a result of the fall of this giant asteroid, a crater was formed with a diameter of 200 kilometers. Billions of tons of water vapor and dust, as well as ash and soot from the monstrous fire, rose into the atmosphere. All this overshadowed the sunlight for many months. This could lead to a catastrophic drop in temperature on Earth.

There are many predictions and facts that point to the end of the world in 2012. But how exactly this will happen, no one knows. The Earth is just a crumb in the Universe, which appeared as a result of the interaction of cosmic bodies, and it is possible that it will also disappear. The fall of the asteroid, most likely, will not destroy the planet itself, but will rid it of people, animals and plants, i.e. from life. Will the Earth scatter into many debris? Or maybe it will turn into Mars? So far, one can only speculate on this, relying on the data that NASA shares with the general public.

Asteroids and comets often fly dangerously close to the Earth, and even the smallest violation of their trajectory can lead to unpredictable consequences. So, if a comet falls on glaciers, it will cause their melting, global warming, and flooding. Some scientists claim that in the entire history of the planet Earth, it has collided with an asteroid about 6 times. This is evidenced by craters, the origin of which can only be explained by the fall of the asteroid on the Earth.

The consequences of an asteroid fall can be very different. It all depends on the size of the asteroid, the location in which it falls, and the speed of its movement. So, for example, an asteroid with a diameter of about 500 km will lead to the death of all life on Earth, and within a day. The impact force will cause a firestorm that will sweep away all living things in its path. In less than a day, a wave of death will circle the planet and destroy all living things on it. It is likely that the simplest organisms will survive and begin anew the process of evolution on Earth.

An asteroid with a smaller diameter, when falling into the ocean, can cause a giant tsunami up to 100 meters high. Such a wave can wash away kilometers of the coastal zone from the face of the planet. Such a tsunami, among other things, can cause a number of man-made disasters. If the asteroid falls on some continent, it will immediately destroy a huge part of the land. All life on the planet will die as a result.

Should we expect such an end of the world? Amy Mainzer, one of the employees of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, claims that hundreds of asteroids are currently rotating around the Earth, capable of destroying all life on the planet. The chances of a planet colliding with an asteroid, according to calculations, are now low. However, one cannot be completely sure of this, since space is absolutely unpredictable. Perhaps a dangerous asteroid is flying towards Earth at this very moment. Technologies are now developing quite rapidly, however, despite this, there is still no system that could provide accurate information regarding the motion of all cosmic bodies. But to represent the full power of the potential danger, it is enough to look at the location of the asteroid belt relative to our planet.

Mars is the closest to the belt. At the moment, there is a lot of evidence that there was once life on this planet, but for unknown reasons it died. The most likely version of death is an asteroid fall. The powerful wave formed upon impact destroyed all living things. The next victim may well be the Earth, since it is quite close to the asteroid belt.

Scientists such as Morrison and Chapman argue that once every 500 thousand years, a global catastrophe occurs on the planet due to the fall of asteroids. According to statistics, asteroids 10 kilometers or more fall every 100 million years. They leave almost no chance for humanity and the animal world to survive. Scientists believe that if such a collision occurs in our time, all of humanity will perish. According to experts, the biggest threat comes from celestial bodies with an average size. According to experts' estimates, more than a billion people have died as a result of the falls of such bodies in 500 thousand years. The earth was constantly bombarded from space.

Currently, according to the calculations of scientists, the most dangerous for our planet are asteroids such as asteroid YU 55, Eros, Vesta and Apophis. It was only when the asteroid Apophis was discovered that there was a real threat from outer space. Its diameter is about 270 meters, and its weight is about 27 million tons. The collision of this asteroid with the Earth, according to the latest data, is possible in 2036. Even if it does not fall to Earth, it can cause significant damage to space technology. It will approach the Earth at a distance of 30-35 thousand kilometers, and it is at this altitude that most of the spacecraft operate. Apophis is currently considered the first among the potentially dangerous celestial bodies. In 2013, it will fly relatively close to our planet and scientists will be able to see the true nature of the threat and determine whether there is a possibility to somehow prevent the disaster.

Russian scientists did not wait for 2013 and created a group to decide what to do if it turns out that the collision of Apophis with the Earth will happen. The approach of the asteroid in 2029 with the Earth will change its orbit, for this reason, the predictions about the subsequent direction of movement are very uncertain without more data. After an asteroid hit the Earth's surface, according to preliminary estimates, a powerful explosion of 200 megatons will occur.

Also, the asteroid 2005 YU 55 is constantly approaching the Earth with a certain frequency. It flew past our planet in November 2011 at a dangerously close distance. And since then, it is considered one of the most dangerous asteroids. The largest asteroid in the belt is Vesta, which is visible from the Earth with the naked eye. This is explained by its ability to approach the planet at a distance of only 170 million kilometers. And there are a lot of such potentially dangerous asteroids.

But, despite this, astronomers currently do not see any serious danger for the Earth from asteroids. But, as mentioned earlier, space is unpredictable, therefore, potentially dangerous objects are constantly monitored. For these purposes, especially powerful space telescopes are being developed with particularly sensitive optics. Without them, it is difficult to spot asteroids, as they reflect light rather than emit it.

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