Asteroid danger! Bus-sized asteroid clocked at just 7038 kmph

An asteroid is all set to make a close approach to Earth today, as per NASA. Notably, it is one of the slowest asteroids that has come visiting for a long time?

Asteroid 2022 YL4 is set to make a close approach with Earth today. (Wikimedia Commons)

Most asteroids are irregularly shaped, though a few are nearly spherical, and they are often pitted or cratered? As these space rocks revolve around the Sun in their elliptical orbits, the asteroids also rotate, sometimes quite erratically, tumbling as they go, according to NASA. Asteroids often make close approaches with Earth, generally missing the planet by a million kilometers or so even as some come even closer than our Moon. However, they are still monitored by NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office which keeps an eye on these Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) for any potential impact. Now, the organization has warned that an asteroid is coming towards Earth today, but it is travelling rather slowly.

Asteroid 2022 YL4 key details

NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which keeps an eye on dangerous Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), has red-flagged an asteroid named Asteroid 2022 YL4 due to its extremely close approach to the planet. The asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth today, January 5, at a distance of 1.9 million kilometers.

According to NASA, this asteroid is moving at a slower pace when compared to other asteroids, at a speed of 7038 kilometers per hour. What makes this asteroid stand out from other asteroids is its small size. It is just 33 feet in width, making it nearly the size of a bus.

According to the-sky.org, the Asteroid 2022 YL4 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids. It was discovered just a couple of months ago on December 24. This asteroid takes 331 days to complete one trip around the Sun during which its maximum distance from the Sun is 150 million kilometers and nearest distance is 130 million kilometers.

Did you know?

According to NASA, the orbits of asteroids can be changed by Jupiter's massive gravity and by occasional close encounters with planets like Mars or other objects. These accidental encounters can knock asteroids out of the main belt, and hurl them into space in all directions across the orbits of the other planets.