NASA satellites observe 150-foot Apollo group asteroid hurtling in direction of Earth

Asteroids have their orbits which generally deliver them near Earth, however can they threaten the planet? Effectively, NASA definitely thinks so. All through historical past, there have been a number of asteroid impacts, starting from the Chelyabinsk asteroid to the Chicxulub crater the place the dinosaur-killing asteroid reportedly crashed. Lately, an area rock even hit a lady within the chest in France! NASA’s Dr. Kelly E. Quick says, “Asteroids have hit Earth all through its historical past, and it’ll occur once more.”

Thus, finding out these house rocks turns into crucial to attenuate the uncertainties round their shut approaches. NASA, with the assistance of its superior floor and space-based telescopes, has tracked an asteroid whose orbit will deliver it very near Earth quickly.

Asteroid 2016 AW65

Based on the main points printed by the Heart for Close to-Earth Object Research (CNEOS), an asteroid, given the designation of Asteroid 2016 AW65, is on its means towards Earth and will make its closest method to the planet in the present day, July 31.

As per the main points, Asteroid 2016 AW65 is predicted to make its closest method to the planet at a distance of simply 6.three million kilometers, and at a pace of 20583 kilometers per hour which is far sooner than Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)!

Is it harmful?

Based on NASA, the asteroid that’s approaching Earth is not sufficiently big to be categorised as a Doubtlessly Hazardous Object, and it isn’t anticipated to hit the floor. Nevertheless, it nonetheless poses a possible menace to the planet, particularly if it impacts in a densely populated space. By way of dimension, Asteroid 2016 AW65 is almost 150 toes vast, which is 3 times bigger than the Chelyabinsk meteor which triggered destruction in Russia in 2013!

Different particulars

It belongs to the Apollo group of Close to-Earth Asteroids, that are Earth-crossing house rocks with semi-major axes bigger than Earth’s. These asteroids are named after the humongous 1862 Apollo asteroid, found by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth within the 1930s.

Based on NASA, the asteroid made its first-ever shut method to Earth on August 2, 1916, at a distance of 4.Four million kilometers and the final time it got here near the planet was on August 2, 1982, when it handed by 5.5 million kilometers.

After in the present day, Asteroid 2016 AW65 will make its subsequent shut method on August 1, 2048, when it’ll come as shut as 5.three million kilometers to Earth.