Near-Earth Object

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A Near-Earth Object (NEO) is any small Solar System body whose orbit brings it close to Earth's orbit. NEOs include both asteroids and comets, and they are classified into several categories based on their orbits:

1. Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs): These are asteroids whose orbits bring them within about 1.3 astronomical units (AU) of the Sun (1 AU is the average distance between Earth and the Sun). NEAs are further classified into subgroups based on their orbits, such as Atira asteroids, Amor asteroids, and Apollo asteroids.
2. Near-Earth Comets (NECs): These are comets with orbits that bring them close to Earth's orbit. They are less common than NEAs but still represent a potential hazard if their orbits intersect with Earth's.

NEOs are of interest to scientists and astronomers for several reasons:

• They represent potential impact hazards, as their orbits intersect with Earth's orbit, and they have the potential to collide with our planet.
• Studying NEOs can provide insights into the early Solar System's formation and evolution.
• NEOs may contain valuable resources such as water and metals, which could be exploited for future space exploration and utilization.

Efforts to detect and track NEOs are ongoing around the world, with the goal of identifying potentially hazardous objects and developing strategies to mitigate the risk of impact.