NASA reveals aircraft-sized asteroid zipping towards Earth; Close encounter today | Tech News

NASA reveals aircraft-sized asteroid zipping towards Earth; Close encounter today

A massive asteroid is all set to make a close approach to Earth today, NASA has revealed. Know about the asteroid’s speed, trajectory and more.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Jan 12 2023, 11:34 IST
NASA reveals 5 asteroids, including 260-foot rock, dashing towards Earth
asteroid
1/5 Asteroid 2022 YZ2 - NASA has red-flagged an asteroid named Asteroid 2022 YZ2 due to its extremely close approach to the planet. The asteroid has a width of 260 feet, making it nearly as big as a building, and will make its closest approach to Earth on January 12 at a distance of 6.4 million kilometers per hour and is already on its way travelling at a speed of nearly 23714 kilometers per hour.  (Wikimedia Commons)
asteroid
2/5 Asteroid 2022 YD5 - An asteroid, named Asteroid 2022 YD5 will make a close approach on January 12. This asteroid is nearly the size of an aircraft with a width of 150 feet. The Asteroid 2022 YD5 is expected to make its closest approach to the planet at a distance of 3.1 million kilometers at a speed of 38184 kilometers per hour.  (Wikimedia Commons)
asteroid
3/5 Asteroid 2022 YS5 – This asteroid, with a of 130 feet, will make its close trip to Earth on January 13 at a distance of nearly 5.9 million kilometers. The asteroid, known as Asteroid 2022 YS5, is rushing towards Earth slower than other asteroids at a speed of 21517 kilometers per hour.  (Pixabay)
asteroid
4/5 Asteroid 2014 LJ – Another asteroid named Asteroid 2014 LJ is heading for Earth and will make a close approach on January 14 at a distance of 1.8 million kilometers. This asteroid is nearly the size of a bus with a width of 22 feet. NASA has revealed it is heading for Earth at a blistering speed of 21517 kilometers per hour. It will miss Earth at a distance of 1.8 million kilometers.  (Pixabay)
asteroid
5/5 Asteroid 2022 YH3 – The fifth and largest asteroid, with a size of 280 feet, is named Asteroid 2022 YH3 and will be making its closest Earth approach on January 14. It will come as close as 7.2 million kilometers, according to NASA JPL. The asteroid is moving at a blistering speed of 58573 kilometer per hour (Pixabay)
asteroid
icon View all Images
Asteroid 2022 YZ2 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids. (Wikimedia Commons)

Did you know that most of the asteroids can be found in a specific region in space? Yes, you read that right! The region is called the asteroid belt – a region between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. These space rocks are usually made up of rocks, but they can also be made of metals such as nickel and iron, or even clay and were responsible for triggering the extinction of dinosaurs when it crashed on Earth near the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico more than 65 million years ago.

Now, NASA has warned that an asteroid is speeding towards Earth today and although it is not a planet-killer, it has the potential to cause regional damage especially if it crashes in a densely populated area.

Key details about Asteroid 2022 YZ2

NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office has warned that the asteroid, named Asteroid 2022 YZ2, will make its closest approach to Earth today, January 12, at a distance of 6.4 million kilometers. What's concerning about this asteroid is its monstrous size, with a width of nearly 260 feet, which is the same size as a whole building!

The asteroid is already travelling towards Earth, at a blistering speed of 23714 kilometers per hour. According to NASA, it belongs to the main Apollo group of asteroids, which are a group of Near-Earth asteroids named after the humongous 1862 Apollo asteroid, discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.

Did you know?

Astronomers have spotted three near-Earth asteroids (NEA) hiding in the glare of the Sun.

One of the asteroids is the largest object that is potentially hazardous to Earth to be discovered in the last eight years. A team using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope in Chile, a Program of NSF's NOIRLab, discovered these asteroids.

This is a notoriously challenging region for observations because asteroid hunters have to contend with the glare of the Sun. By taking advantage of the brief yet favorable observing conditions during twilight, however, the astronomers found this elusive trio.

"So far we have found two large near-Earth asteroids that are about 1 kilometer across, a size that we call planet killers," said Scott S. Sheppard, an astronomer at the Earth and Planets Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution for Science.

Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 12 Jan, 10:45 IST
Tags:
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS