Asteroids by the numbers- all that NASA knows

tech.hindustantimes.com:

NASA is on the constant hunt to find more about near-Earth objects, which are mostly atseroids and comets. But what do we know about the asteroids and comets in Earth's neighbourhood? NASA's Planetary Defense — which includes finding, tracking, and characterizing near-Earth objects helps to understand these space objects in a better way. These near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are basically comets and asteroids that have been pulled by the gravitational attraction of nearby other planets into orbits that allow them to enter the neighborhood of the Earth, says NASA. In a tweet on August 1, NASA said, "What do we know about the asteroids & comets in Earth's neighborhood? There are lots out there & NASA's on the hunt. #PlanetaryDefense — which includes finding, tracking & characterizing near-Earth objects — is part of our mission. Here's what we've found"

NASA shed light on all the basic details of these near-Earth Objects, including asteroids, comets, and meteors. According to the space agency, an asteroid is a small, rocky object revolving in a near-Earth area. However, most of these asteroids are found in the asteroid belt between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter.

While, a comet also orbits the Sun, but unlike an asteroid, it comprises ice and dust. “So, when a comet gets close to the Sun, its ice and dust content start to vaporize. So, when seen in a telescope, a comet appears fuzzy and/or has a tail,” NASA explained.

NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which was created in early 2016, aims at providing accurate information on time to the government, the media and the world on all the potentially hazardous objects, including asteroids approaching close to Earth. It also maps the potential impact it may have on Earth.

Apart