Study by Cornell University suggests that the collision of DART mission may give birth to the first human-made meteor shower

In the year 2022, NASA’s DART mission intentionally clashed the DART spacecraft into asteroid Dimorphos, to test practical planetary defense.  The mission aimed to check if humankind can intentionally redirect the path of an asteroid if someday one comes headed toward Earth.

Now, the latest study has expressed views that the rocky debris caused as a result of the DART mission may result in the first human-made meteor shower. According to reports, as a result of the collision of the DART spacecraft into Dimorphos, about 2 million pounds of massive debris field was generated. This debris included rocks and dust.

The study mentioned was conducted by Cornell University. The study suggests that fragments generated from the collision hold the potential to reach Earth and Mars in a period of the next 10 to 30 years. According to Researcher Eloy Pena Asensio from Italy’s Polytechnic University, these particles are capable of producing visible meteors while penetrating the Martian atmosphere. It is also suggested that these meteor showers can last for about a century.

However, the studies suggest that these particles won’t pose any threat to the Earth’s surface. The particles can range from grain-sized to sizes as big as a smartphone. Mr Pena states that these particles will disintegrate in the atmosphere, resulting in a beautiful luminous streak in the sky.