Near Earth Objects

THE NEAR EARTH OBJECTS
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Table of Contents
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1. Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc351294045 \h
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2.0 The categories of NEOs  PAGEREF _Toc351294046 \h
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3.0 Currently identified Near Earth Objects  PAGEREF _Toc351294047 \h
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3.1 C/1996 B2 Hyatuke  PAGEREF _Toc351294048 \h
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3.2 4179 Toutatis  PAGEREF _Toc351294049 \h
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4.0 NEOs that have recently collided with planet earth  PAGEREF _Toc351294050 \h
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4.1 The Russian meteorite  PAGEREF _Toc351294051 \h
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4.2 The Tunguska meteorite of 1908  PAGEREF _Toc351294052 \h
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5.0 The scientific investigations of the future NEOs  PAGEREF _Toc351294053 \h
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5.1 NEOSSat  PAGEREF _Toc351294054 \h
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5.2 OSIRIS-Rex  PAGEREF _Toc351294055 \h
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6.0 Conclusion  PAGEREF _Toc351294056 \h
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7.0 References  PAGEREF _Toc351294057 \h
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1. Introduction
The near earth objects refers to as the solar system elements or objects such as comets and asteroids nudged by the attraction of the gravitational forces of the planets close to these objects causing them to deviate from their orbits and enter the planet’s atmosphere. Comets are mostly composed of ice and dust particles and are mostly found on the outer and cold part of the solar system. On the other hand, asteroids are composed of hard rocky materials and mostly found on the inner and hotter parts of the solar system that is to say between the mars and Jupiter orbits.
Over the years scientists have developed interest on the near earth objects (NEOs) largely because of their unchanged remnants in the solar system formation that has taken place in over four million years. It is evident from the scientific research and observation that the outer planets of the solar system such as Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus, were formed from the agglomeration of millions of the NEOs such as comets and asteroids and that the meteors are the left remains (Jenniskens, World Space Congress, COSPAR general assembly, & World Space Congress. 2004). Just like the outer planets, the inner planets are a product of agglomeration that leads to the unattached pieces that are the asteroids.
These NEOs are a concern to the life of the inhabitants of the planet earth in that their presence may be unwelcomed. On their landing on earth they cause effects that are life threatening. This has made scientist as well as scientific organizations to develop interest on the ...