Beyond the Telescope: Searching for Near-Earth Asteroids

Our planet’s history is one of near misses and direct hits. Past scars tell of many devastating impacts, some of which nearly snuffed out life on Earth. How much of a threat does an asteroid impact pose today? Join Timothy Spahr, PhD, as he examines impact events of the past and looks at the close encounters Earth’s future may hold. As director of the Minor Planet Center, he collects and analyzes data from an average of 1,000 new asteroids per day, notifying NASA headquarters when an object’s orbit will bring it close to Earth.