A small asteroid burned over the sky of Ontario , Canada , one week ago . No hump damages were caused , as is often the guinea pig with such small object – but the event was a perfect examination earth for NASA ’s Scout impact risk assessment organization . Asteroid 2022 WJ1 was discovered on the evening of November 18 , and burned through the atmosphere just a few hours later .
Detection and trailing are all important aspects ofplanetary defence , and the attempt are focalize on unsafe asteroids . However , it is always good to test systems in a real - life scenario . posture no menace , 2022 WJ1 was just one meter across ( three feet ) . It was observed only 3.5 hour before impact , but NASA was capable to track it and anticipate where it was going to burn .
“ The planetary defense community really demonstrate their skill and eagerness with their response to this brusque - warning event , ” Kelly Fast , Near - Earth Object Observations computer program manager for the Planetary Defense Coordination Office ( PDCO ) at NASA Headquarters in Washington , read in astatement . “ Such harmless impact become spontaneous real - world exercise and give us assurance that NASA ’s planetary defense systems are capable of inform the response to the voltage for a serious impingement by a larger physical object . ”
The NASA - fundedCatalina Sky Surveydiscovered the asteroid . Seven minutes later , Scout eff that there was one hazard in four that it would impact somewhere between Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North America .
More reflection were soon conducted , including by a group of amateur stargazer in Kansas at Fairpoint lookout which provided decisive observation . A sum of 46 observations were conducted .
That data point allowed scout to sustain that the small rock was work to hit Earth and from where its bolide was go to be visible with two hours to spare . This allowed research worker around Lake Ontario to organise for the issue and even track small meteorite released as the cosmic body broke apart .
“ minor objective such as this one can only be detected when they are very close to Earth , so if they are head for an impact , prison term is of the burden to collect as many observation as possible , ” aver Shantanu Naidu , navigation engine driver and Scout operator at JPL . “ This object was discovered early enough that the world-wide defense residential district could provide more observation , which Scout then used to confirm the impact and predict where and when the asteroid was going to hit . ”
The find bodes well for more serious threats . This is only the 6th asteroid that has been tracked in blank space before hitting Earth .
