NASA has just discovered an asteroid with an extremely 'weird' shape

Most asteroids are almost spherical in shape, but there is no shortage of cases with strange shapes and sizes. For example, the asteroid Ryugu is shaped like a gyro, or the asteroid Kleopatra looks like a bone. These space rocks can range in size from just a meter to the equivalent of dwarf planets.

NASA recently announced an interesting discovery involving a 'weird' exopolar asteroid, with a length three times the width. ' Of the 1,040 near-Earth objects observed by radar to date, this is one of the longest we've ever seen ,' a NASA representative commented.

In fact, this asteroid was first observed in 2011 and was named 2011 AG5. However, it was not until this asteroid approached Earth at an extremely close distance on February 3, that astronomers had the opportunity to observe closely and make a more objective assessment of it. Although the risk of 2011 AG5 impacting our planet is not, but because it flew only 1.1 million miles from Earth, it can be said that this asteroid has come close enough to be observed effectively with the dish. -ten Goldstone Solar System Radar, part of NASA's Deep Space Network.

Observations show that the asteroid has an overall long and thin shape, with an estimated length of 487m and a width of 152m. Visually, 2011 AG5 will have a charcoal black, pitted surface with areas several meters in diameter.

New observations from NASA also help determine the asteroid's orbit. According to scientists' calculations, 2011 AG5 orbits the sun once every 621 days and will not return to Earth until 2040. At this reunion, the asteroid will come even closer, with about is estimated to be only 670,000 miles away - not close enough to be dangerous - but will still require close monitoring.

To date, hundreds of thousands of asteroids have been discovered inside the solar system, at a rate of about 5000 asteroids per month. This number is expected to continue to increase because the development of modern science and technology makes it easier and simpler to detect asteroids passing by the Earth, can even be done by satellites. non-specialist researchers.

Micah Soto

Update 27 February 2023