Experts at NASA are tracking a giant asteroid, which is just days away from entering Earth’s orbit. The asteroid, named 199145 (2005 YY128), is about a kilometre wide and has been classed as a near-Earth object. It is expected to crash into the planet’s orbit next week.
The Daily Star reported that the asteroid is estimated to measure between 1,870 and 4,265 feet across. The near-Earth object, which is bigger than the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the United States will come as close as 45.06 lakh kilometres and scientists still cannot comment on whether it would crash into the Earth’s orbit and cause any real damage to the planet.
Asteroids have become a common occurrence for our planet as the news comes just two weeks after another asteroid 2023 BU came as close as 3540 kilometres from Earth and passed over the southern tip of South America on January 27.
This was the fourth nearest space rock out of 35,000 past and future asteroids to pass the Earth from a close distance. The data for the same was collected by NASA’s Centre for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) for 300 years from 1900 and 2200.
But regardless of the previous asteroid’s trajectory, it would not have posed any real threat to the planet. This is because NASA has stated that any space rock, which is less than 82 ft across (25m in astronomical terms) will not be a danger to the planet as it will most likely burn up after entering the Earth’s atmosphere and even if it manages to reach the surface, it will cause zero to little damage.
However, 199145 (2005 YY128) is far bigger than that and if it enters Earth’s atmosphere, we never know what the result will be. Some other bigger asteroids that will be coming dangerously close to the planet are –
363505 (2003 UC20) which measures about 6,230 feet across, almost double the size of Burj Khalifa. This asteroid will be approaching close to the planet in November and come as close as 51.49 lakh kilometres.
436774 (2012 KY3) measures between 1,771 and 3,937 feet across and will approach as close as 46.67 lakh kilometres. This asteroid will approach Earth in April.
139622 (2001 QQ142) measures around the same as 436774 (2012 KY3) and it will approach Earth in December.
349507 (2008 QY) measured between 1,706 and 3,937 feet across and it will be approaching as close as 62.76 lakh kilometres to Earth on October 3.
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