Asteroid 2023 OE5 speeding towards Earth; NASA reveals close encounter details

NASA is trackeing Asteroid 2023 OE5 that is heading towards Earth, and it could have a very close encounter with the planet on August 14.

Asteroid 2023 OE5 is expected to make its closest approach to the planet at a distance of just 960,000 kilometers. (Pixabay)

Asteroids follow orbits that occasionally bring them near Earth, and their potential threat to our planet is a concern acknowledged by the US space agency NASA. Throughout time, various asteroid impacts have occurred, such as the Chelyabinsk asteroid event and the devastating Chicxulub asteroid, which is believed to have resulted in dinosaur extinction. More recently, an incident in France involved a space rock striking a woman in the chest. Putting things in perspective is NASA's Dr. Kelly E. Fast, who emphasizes that Earth has experienced asteroid impacts in the past and believes that such events will recur. The idea is to find and track all asteroids that pose a threat to Earth and deal with it.

Asteroid 2023 OE5

According to the details published by the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), an asteroid, given the designation of Asteroid 2023 OE5, is on its way toward Earth and could make its closest approach to the planet on August 14.

As per the details, Asteroid 2023 OE5 is expected to make its closest approach to the planet at a distance of just 960000 kilometers, and at a speed of 13934 kilometers per hour. The asteroid is estimated to be the size of a house.

Is there any threat from 2023 OE5?

This question always arises when an asteroid approaches Earth - is it hazardous for our planet? However, NASA says that Asteroid 2023 OE5 isn't large enough to be a "Potentially Hazardous Object," and the agency does not believe it will actually hit the ground. NASA estimates that Asteroid 2023 OE5, is about 57 feet wide.

Details of 2023 OE5

The asteroid 2023 OE5 belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids. These asteroids are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth's. These asteroids are named after the humongous 1862 Apollo asteroid which was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.

According to NASA, the asteroid 2023 0E5 was first seen on 24 July 2023 and it was last observed on July 30, 2023.

The next asteroid after 2023 OE5 is expected to approach Earth on 17 August 2023. It is called 2022 CP1 asteroid. It will approach Earth at a speed of 35347 KM per hour.