ILLUSTRATION. Illustration of asteroid approaching Earth
Source: CBSNews | Editor: I knew Laoli
KONTAN.CO.ID – JAKARTA. Scientists predict that there will be seven asteroids hurtling past Planet Earth this week. One of the asteroids that pass through the Earth has the potential to be dangerous because of its large size and the distance to Earth is quite close.
The potentially dangerous asteroid is named 2021 KT1. The size of this asteroid is 600 feet. The asteroid is about the size of the Seattle Space Needle and taller than the Washington Monument. Scientists believe the asteroid is 1,049 feet, or comparable in size to the Chrysler Building in New York City.
NASA classifies this asteroid as a dangerous object because it is a near-Earth object measuring more than 492 feet and passing within 4.6 million miles of Earth. For comparison, the average distance between the Earth and the Moon is about 239,000 miles.
This asteroid will pass the Earth at a speed of about 40,000 miles per hour. But the good news, there is no possibility of this asteroid hitting Earth. “It’s just a potential long-term danger,” said NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, Dr. Paul Chodas as reported CBS News last weekend.
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“In fact, we have calculated a near-future approach for the next 200 years and we know that it cannot impact Earth in that time, or maybe forever,” he added.
However, researchers are tracking all asteroids that approach the planet and are currently looking for ways to deflect asteroids that are predicted to hit Earth in the future.
“No one should be overly concerned about Earth impacts from asteroids or comets,” said NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies.
Six other asteroids, essentially waste rock more than four billion years old, also passed Earth this week. However, all of them are smaller than the 2021 KT1.
Asteroid 2021 KT2, which is about 23 feet away, also passed on Tuesday, as did LB 2018 which is about 70 feet away. These asteroids come within 181,000 miles and 694,000 miles of Earth, respectively.
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