A gigantic asteroid is expected to make a near pass to Earth on Monday, June 12, as per NASA's asteroid tracker.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) noted that three asteroids are anticipated to fly by our planet on Monday. The celestial object, 488453 (1994 XD), is among them. Later in the week, an enormous asteroid will follow its passage, The Jerusalem Post reported.
According to NASA's CNEOS, asteroid 488453 (1994 XD)'s diameter is between 370 and 830 meters (1,213 to 2,723 ft). This asteroid's massive size can be compared to 84 orcas. These enormous marine mammals, sometimes called killer whales, may reach lengths of up to 9.8 meters.
On June 15, the asteroid 2020 DB5 will pass nearby Earth at around 4,308,418 kilometers, another significant celestial occurrence. This asteroid, now moving at an astounding speed of 34,272 kilometers per hour, passed by Earth in 1995 and is predicted to do so again on May 2, 2048, at a distance of around 532,673,313 kilometers, per Business Insider.
The diameter of the asteroid 2020 DB5 ranges from 380 to 850 meters (1,247 to 2,789 ft).
These astronomical dimensions are essential, particularly when considering asteroids that pass near Earth. For reference, the Empire State Building rises to a height of around 1,400 feet at its tallest.
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More Asteroids Passing Close To Earth
According to NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, 10 near-Earth asteroids passed our planet closer than the Moon in May 2023 alone. According to the National Air and Space Museum, a startling 103 near-Earth asteroids have been discovered in the last year.
What do we know about #asteroids & comets in Earth's neighborhood? There are lots out there, & we're on the hunt.ðŸ”
Our #PlanetaryDefense mission includes finding, tracking & characterizing near-Earth objects (#NEOs). Here's what we've found so far: https://t.co/c7WuQ80Xhd pic.twitter.com/0Q4Ej6lGI2— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) June 1, 2023
NEOs (Near-Earth Objects) are potentially dangerous asteroids that orbit near Earth and are longer than 100 meters or about the length of a soccer field. Notably, five potentially hazardous asteroids-Bennu, Didymos, Itokawa, Ryugu, and Toutatis-have previously been the subject of space probe investigations.
NASA has taken preemptive steps to divert asteroids to protect our world from future strikes. An innovative project, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, seeks to use kinetic collision to change an asteroid's course in orbit. This project demonstrates NASA's commitment to investigating asteroid deflection methods.
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