One of the reasons NEOWISE is so valuable is that it sees the sky in the thermal infrared. That means that instead of seeing the sunlight that asteroids reflect, NEOWISE sees the heat that they emit. This is a vital capability, since some asteroids are as dark as coal and can be difficult or impossible to spot with other telescopes.

Most astronomical work has to do with things that are very, very far away and don't affect our lives very much.

Astronomers are using every technique at their disposal to discover and study asteroids.

Carrie Nugent Quotes