Shocking encounter! NASA says asteroid dashing towards Earth at 9933 kmph
You may think asteroids are simply floating rocks in space and while it may seem so due to their appearance, it isn’t quite the case. These space rocks can be classified into 3 types based on their structural composition. The most commonly found asteroids are S-type, which are made up of carbon-rich substances. On the other hand, S-type asteroids are made up mainly of silicate minerals and are less common. M-type asteroids are the least prevalent and they are primarily composed of metal.
Even though there are millions of asteroids in our solar system, only a handful of them have been observed, with the current asteroid count being roughly 1,298,148. One of these asteroids is heading towards Earth for close approach soon, NASA has revealed.
Asteroid 2023 LG2
The asteroid that will come close to Earth has been designated Asteroid 2023 LG2 by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). This space rock will make its closest approach to Earth tomorrow, July 1, at a distance of about 2.1 million kilometers. Interestingly, it is rushing towards Earth at a speed of about 9933 kilometers per hour, which is just shy of the speed of a hypersonic ballistic missile.
It belongs to the Aten group of asteroids, which are Earth-crossing Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) with semi-major axes smaller than Earth’s. They are named after the asteroid 2062 Aten and the first of its kind was discovered by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at Palomar Observatory on January 7, 1976.
Is Asteroid 2023 LG2 dangerous?
According to NASA data, the asteroid is 80 feet wide, which can be compared to a small aircraft. Although previous studies have revealed that it would take a 96-kilometer-wide asteroid to completely wipe out life on Earth, a previous encounter with a 59 feet asteroid caused damage to 8000 buildings and left 1000 people injured.
It means that these close calls with asteroids highlight the importance of continued technological development in asteroid detection and monitoring programs. This will help to ensure the safety of our planet from the potential impact of these space rocks, like NASA’s DART.
You may think asteroids are simply floating rocks in space and while it may seem so due to their appearance, it isn’t quite the case. These space rocks can be classified into 3 types based on their structural composition. The most commonly found asteroids are S-type, which are made up of carbon-rich substances. On the other hand, S-type asteroids are made up mainly of silicate minerals and are less common. M-type asteroids are the least prevalent and they are primarily composed of metal.
Even though there are millions of asteroids in our solar system, only a handful of them have been observed, with the current asteroid count being roughly 1,298,148. One of these asteroids is heading towards Earth for close approach soon, NASA has revealed.
Asteroid 2023 LG2
The asteroid that will come close to Earth has been designated Asteroid 2023 LG2 by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). This space rock will make its closest approach to Earth tomorrow, July 1, at a distance of about 2.1 million kilometers. Interestingly, it is rushing towards Earth at a speed of about 9933 kilometers per hour, which is just shy of the speed of a hypersonic ballistic missile.
It belongs to the Aten group of asteroids, which are Earth-crossing Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) with semi-major axes smaller than Earth’s. They are named after the asteroid 2062 Aten and the first of its kind was discovered by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at Palomar Observatory on January 7, 1976.
Is Asteroid 2023 LG2 dangerous?
According to NASA data, the asteroid is 80 feet wide, which can be compared to a small aircraft. Although previous studies have revealed that it would take a 96-kilometer-wide asteroid to completely wipe out life on Earth, a previous encounter with a 59 feet asteroid caused damage to 8000 buildings and left 1000 people injured.
It means that these close calls with asteroids highlight the importance of continued technological development in asteroid detection and monitoring programs. This will help to ensure the safety of our planet from the potential impact of these space rocks, like NASA’s DART.
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