NASA has just released an important alert on a sizable asteroid that is now traveling toward Earth. The massive asteroid is described as potentially hazardous and it might pass by soon, but the agency did not give an actual date.
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2022 OE02 Will Make a Flyby Soon
According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the enormous asteroid 2022 OE02 is 213 meters wide, making it larger than the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, India, which is the world's tallet statue. For reference, the statue stands 182 meters tall, DNA India reported.
The massive asteroid has been designated as possibly hazardous by NASA, indicating that it is a Near-Earth Object (NEO) and may pose a risk to the planet. In the event that an asteroid of this size hits Earth, an entire civilization could be wiped out.
A minor departure from its path, which can be brought on by a variety of circumstances, can allow the asteroid to change its trajectory and collide with the planet in a matter of seconds, even though it has a substantial buffer area of 3.2 million miles between it and the globe.
As a protection mechanism against potentially hazardous asteroids, which are frequent in outer space, NASA previously launched its Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission (DART).
What Is a Near-Earth Object?
According to the National Air and Space Museum, a Near-Earth Object (NEO) or Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) is an asteroid that approaches the Sun within 1.3 AU (195 million kilometers or 121 million miles). The typical distance between the Sun and Earth is measured in astronomical units (AUs) (approximately 150 million kilometers or 93 million miles).
NEA has three categories, such as Amor, Apollo, and Aten. Amor does not cross the Earth's orbit, instead it orbits Mars. Apollo crosses the Earth's orbit with an orbital period longer than a year. Aten also crosses the Earth's orbit but with a less than yearly orbital period.
The majority of near-Earth asteroids are believed to be main belt asteroids that were propelled from the belt by Jupiter's gravitational pull or by interactions with other asteroids. It's possible that some NEAs are the leftovers of dead comets.
Recent Sightings and Possible Entry of Huge Near-Earth Asteroid
The latest sighting of a Near-Earth asteroid was on Aug. 4 when asteroid 2022 OE2 flew past Earth. The asteroid belongs to the Apollo group. According to Space.com, it measures between 557 and 1,246 feet (170 and 380 meters) wide, or nearly twice as wide as an American football field.
According to NASA, one of the asteroids that made a headline was the asteroid 99942 Apophis. When it was found in 2004, preliminary estimates suggested there was a slim chance it would hit Earth in 2029.
Scientists ruled out the likelihood of an impact in 2029 after looking over some older astronomical images. The asteroid will now likely pass safely just 19,800 miles (31,900 kilometers) from the surface of our planet.
Asteroid 2022 OE2 will pass between Earth and our Moon, which is around 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) away, even though that distance is safe. Additionally, certain spacecraft orbit Earth within this range.
It is unusual for an asteroid of this size to fly by the Earth at such a close range, despite the fact that smaller asteroids, measuring between 16 and 33 feet (5 and 10 meters), have been observed passing by at comparable distances.
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