Asteroid Hits Earth Neo Impressionist Version 4 with Frame

Our planet being struck by an asteroid is the stuff of science fiction. The concept — or attempting to prevent one — is the subject of many films and books, including "Deep Impact," "Armageddon," and "Lucifer's Hammer."

Asteroid impacts on Earth aren't just the stuff of science fiction; they do happen on occasion. The sole goal of the "Asteroid Watch" at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California is to find and monitor asteroids (and comets) that the organization believes will pass near to Earth.