96-foot Asteroid 2023 HO18 speeding towards very close encounter with Earth, NASA data shows

Photo Credit: Pixabay

NASA has unveiled crucial details about a colossal asteroid that is projected to have a scary encounter with Earth tomorrow. Check the key details about this celestial object.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

96-foot Asteroid 2023 HO18 speeding towards very close encounter with Earth, NASA data shows

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Everyone always has one question- do asteroids actually hit the planets? Unfortunately, they do, but rarely so! 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

However, there are so many and quite a few of them come too close to Earth for comfort. And sometimes, these asteroids heading for near Earth encounter are found at virtually the last moment. It increases the paranoia!  

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Most of the asteroids are located in a region of space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, but they occasionally collide with other celestial bodies in space, such as planets and moons

Photo Credit: Pixabay

This collision can have potentially devastating consequences! 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

In order to reduce the risk of such catastrophic events, NASA and other space agencies maintain constant watch over potential asteroid hazards with the help of the space-based telescope NEOWISE. 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Now, NASA's data has disclosed various details about a dangerous asteroid approaching Earth tomorrow, including its speed, distance, size, and more.

Photo Credit: NASA

This asteroid dubbed 2023 HO18 measures 96-foot in size, NASA’s JPL data indicated. 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

However, the worrying part is that the asteroid is speeding towards Earth at a speed of 16773 kmph to come uncomfortably close to the planet at just 290,000 miles tomorrow on June 4. 

Photo Credit: Pixabay

It must be noted that the average distance between Earth and the moon is just about 239,000 miles. A small deviation from its path can be fatal for Earth!

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Hence, to detect the danger, NASA has established the NEO Observations Program, which is tasked with finding, tracking, and characterizing NEOs, and identifying those that may pose a hazard to Earth.