FLORIDA – Two asteroid the size of a skyscraper hurtling towards Earth this weekend, to be exact on Friday 29 July 2022 and Saturday 30 July 2022. The first asteroid is named 2016 CZ31 measuring 122 meters and the second asteroid is named 2013 CU83 measuring 183 meters.
The first asteroid, dubbed 2016 CZ31, will pass by Friday night at around 7 p.m., traveling at a speed of about 55,618 km/h. Astronomers estimate that the asteroid measures about 122 meters at its widest point, the equivalent of a 40-story building.
According to NASA, the asteroid will cross Earth within a safe distance of about 1,740,000 miles or 2,800,000 kilometers, or more than seven times the average distance between Earth and the moon. “This space rock approaches Earth every few years, with a scheduled return to Earth in January 2028,” NASA wrote.
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While the second asteroid named 2013 CU83 which is larger in size passed near Earth on Saturday at 19:37. ET (23:37 GMT). The second asteroid slid past Earth at a greater distance of about 6.96 million km from Earth or about 18 times the average distance between Earth and the moon.
The asteroid, measuring approximately 183 meters at the widest point visible and moving at a speed of 21,168 km/h. These two close encounters are significantly further away than the asteroid 2022 NF on July 7, 2022, which comes within 90,000 km or about 23% of the average distance between Earth and the moon.
NASA and other space agencies closely monitor thousands of near-Earth objects like this. Because of this, the space agency takes planetary defense very seriously.
Also read; The world is still not safe from the threat of asteroids
In November 2021, NASA launched an asteroid deflecting spacecraft called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which will hit the 160-meter-wide asteroid Dimorphos in the fall of 2022. The collision won’t destroy the asteroid, but it may change course slightly. the space rock’s orbit.
(Web)
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