A giant asteroid 1,500 feet wide will pass by Earth today. NASA classifies it as a potentially dangerous asteroid. Will it hit us?
A huge asteroid is headed for Earth! According to NASA, a giant 1,500-foot-wide space rock will approach Earth today, April 28. The size of the asteroid is approximately twice the size of the Empire State Building, located in New York. Due to its size, the asteroid is designated as an Apollo of the Apollo class. The biggest concern right now is whether the asteroid could hit Earth, even accidentally. In the past, we have seen cases of asteroids that were attracted due to the gravitational force of our Earth and the cosmic rock eventually crashed into the planet. The most recent example of this is EB5 from 2022, which affected the Earth’s atmosphere over the west coast of Greenland. Although this asteroid was only a few meters large, if it had such a fate, it could lead to a catastrophe for Earth.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has revealed that the asteroid moving toward Earth has been named 418135 (2008 AG33). The 457-meter, or 1,500-foot-wide asteroid is expected to come closest to Earth at a distance of 3,240,000 kilometers. The asteroid will enter Earth’s orbit at a speed of 37,400 km / h. Although this may sound like a big difference due to its high speed, it is reduced to a hair’s breadth. Scientists continue to monitor the asteroid to ensure that it maintains its distance. The asteroid is currently expected to pass safely and is unlikely to hit.
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NASA: A 1,500-foot-wide asteroid is heading toward Earth
The asteroid 2008 AG33 was first discovered by surveyors at the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter in Arizona in January 2008. The last time it approached Earth was in 2015, according to NASA’s CNEOS Center for Near-Earth Research. The space rock visits Earth every 7 years and the next close flight is predicted on May 25, 2029.
Interestingly, this may not even be the largest asteroid to visit us recently. On May 9, an asteroid named 467460 (2006 JF42) will make its way to Earth and is expected to be about 850 meters wide or approximately 2800 feet. Various space agencies are working to find a way to redirect or destroy asteroids that could be approaching dangerously close to Earth. Yesterday, the Chinese space agency revealed that for its next mission, it will closely monitor the asteroid and attack it to redirect its trajectory. The mission is conducted to develop the ability to repel any homeless asteroid that tries to crash into Earth.
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