NASA has detected at least four asteroids which are headed towards Earth this week. According to NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), four of the near-Earth objects may fly past the planet on June 2, Tuesday. One of the asteroids is coming from a distance that is equivalent to that between the planet and the Moon. CNEOS has identified the first asteroid that will fly past the Earth as 2020 KK7. It measures about 108 feet and is currently flying towards Earth at an average velocity of almost 34,000 miles per hour. ‘Alien’ Asteroids Hiding in Plain Sight in Our Solar System For Billions of Years Found by Astronomers!
According to CNEOS, this asteroid will approach Earth on June 2 at 4:43 a.m. EDT. At this time, the asteroid will be about 0.00343 astronomical units or roughly 319,000 miles from the planet’s surface. Which means the asteroid will fly past Earth at a distance a little farther than that between the planet and the Moon. Asteroid 2020 GH2 is Not The Only Big Space Rock Passing by Earth, Know About Asteroid 1998 OR2, The Size of Mt Everest Which Will Skim Past This Month.
The second asteroid that will fly past Earth tomorrow is called 2020 KD4. It measures about 115 feet wide and is travelling at a speed of almost 12,000 miles per hour. 2020 KD4 is expected to fly past Earth on Tuesday at 8:47 a.m. EDT at a distance of about 0.02680 astronomical units which is about 2.5 million miles away. Then comes 2020 KF with an estimated diameter of 144 feet, it will be the biggest asteroid that will approach Earth. Asteroid 2020 GA3, Bigger Than The Leaning Tower of Pisa Rapidly Approaching Earth Today, Is it Dangerous? Know More.
CNEOS says that the asteroid will go past the planet tomorrow at a speed of over 24,000 miles per hour. On June 2, at 12:00 p.m. EDT, it will reach the closest distance to Earth at about 0.03102 astronomical units or 2.9 million miles. The last asteroid which will go past Earth on Tuesday has been identified as 2020 KJ1. This asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 105 feet and is moving towards Earth at an average speed of about 11,000 miles per hour. 2020 KJ1 is expected to approach Earth on June 2 at 2:57 p.m. EDT. While approaching, it will be about 0.01403 astronomical units or 1.3 million miles from the planet’s centre.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 02, 2020 04:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).