Asteroids 101

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Source: NASA

In 1997, Scientists released information about an asteroid that is likely to pass very close to the Earth in October 2028. At this point, Asteroid 1997 XF11, which is estimated to be about a mile in diameter, is thought to have little to no chance of colliding with the earth.

Yet, in a culture fascinated by the fictional disasters brought to us by Hollywood, the asteroid has already generated an astronomical amount of attention.

Speculations on whether 1997 XF11 will bring the Earth disastrous consequences or just a good show will likely be debated for the next 30 years. In the meantime, people have the chance to learn something about those outer-space objects that normally seem as distant from our concerns as they are from the Earth.

Here are some resources you can use to start educating yourself:

• What Is An Asteroid?
• The Asteroids