Asteroids On Close Approach

Two asteroids flying in tight formation-- astronomers just determined they were two smaller bodies, not one larger object-- will zip past Earth today at about six times the distance of the Moon. They therefore pose no danger, but the neighborly encounter will give astronomers an opportunity to study them at close range.

That's a useful opportunity beyond simple scientific enquiry. At some point-- maybe millenia from now, but maybe yet this century-- an asteroid will be on a collision course with Earth. The more we know about the makeup and internal structure of the various classes and families of asteroids, the better equipped we'll be to deal with any that might have Earth in their sights.

On a positive note, asteroids also contain mind boggling amounts of natural resources, from water to metals to rock useful in various ways. Tapping those resources could remake the human economy and support our expansion into the Solar System.