Astrophysics (Index)About

near-Earth object

(NEO)
(object orbiting the Sun that passes close to Earth)

A near-Earth object (NEO or if specifically an asteroid, near-Earth asteroid or NEA) is an object, such as a comet or asteroid, in solar orbit that passes near Earth. An Earth-crossing asteroid (ECA) is an asteroid whose orbital path crosses that of Earth. A fast moving object (FMO) is an observed astronomical object that appears to be moving very fast, which is its appearance if it is not very distant, evidence that it is an NEO. All these are of particular interest due to the potential for a future impact with Earth (those most likely are termed potentially hazardous objects, PHOs, or if specifically asteroids, potentially hazardous asteroids, PHAs), and a number of surveys aim to identify them:

Near-Earth objects are also useful destinations for space probes, such as OSIRIS-REx visiting 101955 Bennu. Comets and asteroids passing close to Earth are among the easiest to reach.

NEOs are also classified according to a comparison of their orbits with that of Earth, each type referred to by the name of the first such asteroid discovered:

The independent term Arjuna has been coined for any of these with orbits much like Earth's.


(object type,solar system)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-Earth_object
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentially_hazardous_object
https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/N/Near+Earth+Asteroids
https://catalina.lpl.arizona.edu/faq
https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/NEO/TheNEOPage.html
https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/neoo
https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/topics/neos/index.html
https://www.iau.org/public/themes/neo/

Referenced by pages:
101955 Bennu
2010 TK7
asteroid
asteroid belt
ATLAS survey
Campo Imperatore Near-Earth Object Survey (CINEOS)
Catalina Sky Survey (CSS)
fast blue optical transient (FBOT)
LINEAR
LONEOS
Mars crosser (MC)
minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID)
minor planet
Minor Planet Center (MPC)
NEAT
NEO Surveyor
NEOSSat
Pan-STARRS
pipeline
Planet Crossing Asteroid Survey (PCAS)
quasi-satellite
solar system
solar system object (SSO)
supernova survey
transient astronomy
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)

Index