UAE: City-sized asteroid approaches Earth; when and how to spot it in Dubai skies

Will this asteroid pose any threat to our home planet? Here's what experts say

Nandini Sircar

Published: Fri 25 Oct 2024, 6:00 AM

Last updated: Fri 25 Oct 2024, 10:11 PM

A city-sized asteroid is heading towards Earth this October and it is set to make its closest approach on October 27.

Known as 1036 Ganymed, it is one of the largest near-Earth asteroids with a diameter of approximately 37.7km, comparable in size to the US city of Houston.

Asteroids are small, irregularly shaped objects that orbit the Sun, mainly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

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Khaleej Times reached out to experts in the UAE to understand what this means and if it poses any potential threat to our home planet.

Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, who currently serves as the director of the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre, said: “Ganymed completes an orbit around the sun every four years, meaning we can anticipate its approach at least once within that time frame. However, it doesn’t come very close to Earth, with a minimum distance of approximately 51 million km, which is quite significant.”

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Experts in the country elaborated that Ganymed is a near-Earth asteroid categorised as an “Amor” asteroid, indicating that its orbit approaches Earth but “does not intersect it”.

When will it be visible from Dubai?

Dr Sarath Raj, director for laboratories and project director at Amity Dubai Satellite Ground Station and AmiSat, said: “The safe distance ensures there is no risk of collision with Earth, making it an ideal event for observation. Ganymed will reach its opposition point on October 27, meaning it will position directly opposite the Sun from Earth, making it appear brighter and more accessible for telescopic observation, although it is not visible to the naked eye.”

He added: “From Dubai, the asteroid will become visible through telescopes in the evening at approximately 6.36pm (GMT+04), positioned 52° above the eastern horizon as dusk fades. It will reach its highest point in the sky, 80° above the southern horizon, at around 9.12pm. Observation will remain possible until approximately 2.03am when it will descend below 21° above the western horizon.”

Nasa identified six asteroids that were supposed to pass by Earth around October 24..

While none of these asteroids pose a risk to our planet, their close approach underscores the importance of tracking near-Earth objects (NEOs).

Asteroids are rocky, airless remnants from the early formation of our solar system, dating back approximately 4.6 billion years.

In the UAE, a pioneering initiative is studying several asteroids in the main asteroid belt

Called the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA), this programme goes beyond mere scientific discovery as it also serves as a catalyst for the growth of the UAE's space industry.

EMA investigates the origins and composition of our solar system, seeking the essential building blocks of life within the asteroid belt.

Comets can also pose a threat

Like asteroid, comets can also threaten Earth, though the likelihood of a significant impact is relatively low.

Unlike rocky and metallic asteroids, comets are composed of ice, dust, and rocky materials and travel faster than asteroids.

The most well-known real-world example of an impact causing mass extinction is the event that wiped out the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago.

Currently, the largest comet visible in the sky is 109P/Swift-Tuttle, with a diameter of 26km, making it roughly twice the size of the object believed to have caused the dinosaurs’ extinction.

Despite its size, this comet poses little danger to Earth, as it passes closest to the Sun, at 142.5 million km (0.95 AU), every 133 years. Interestingly, it’s also responsible for the annual Perseid meteor shower.

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