An asteroid discovered by astronomers 13 years ago will pass close to Earth this Saturday (24). But no need to fear. NASA, the US space agency, has already ruled out any risk of impacting our planet.
The rock is called 2008 GO20 and has an estimated size of up to 220 meters, equivalent to the height of almost 6 structures of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro (38 meters) and 2.3 United States Statues of Liberty (93 meters).
The asteroid’s maximum approach is expected to take place around 6:30 pm (Brasilia time). This is estimated to happen at about 0.03 astronomical units (TO, which represents the distance between the Earth and the Sun) — that is, more than 4 million km, or more than ten times the distance to the Moon.
The asteroid was included in NASA’s Near-Earth Objects list for its orbit and characteristics. After studies, the rock was considered harmless to mankind.
Speed
The asteroid is traveling at about 8.2 km/s (29,500 km/h). A possible impact of a rock of this size, at that speed, would not cause a global catastrophe or extinction. However, it would leave a trail of destruction of thousands of square kilometers.
Asteroids, comets and other space rocks pass close to Earth all the time, but only a few pose a real risk of collision in the future. There are about 2,000 objects that are constantly monitored by the US space agency, and new discoveries and studies are made every month.
What is an asteroid?
Asteroids are basically giant rocks. Remnants of the formation process of rocky planets, they can reach hundreds of kilometers and even have their own natural satellites.
Therefore, it is the celestial body with the greatest potential for destruction. The Earth has suffered several asteroid impacts over billions of years, including one that would have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs, which to this day leave craters.
There are about 800,000 asteroids in our solar system — most make up a belt located between Mars and Jupiter, relatively close to Earth. But only a dozen of them are classified as assets, with the risk of hitting us in the more or less distant future, like the Determining it’s the Apophis.
Like comets, asteroids have a well-defined orbit. However, it can be altered due to gravitational interactions with other bodies. Therefore, it is important to monitor them.
Several astronomers, professionals and amateurs, from around the world, are dedicated to being able to predict the approaches and find ways to prevent a catastrophic event.
Apophis, the “doomsday” asteroid
To space rocha 99942 Apophis ranks third on NASA’s list of potentially dangerous “near-Earth objects”. Its nickname is “doomsday asteroid”.
The risk of it colliding with our planet is minimal, 1 in 150,000 in 2068 alone. But a possible impact would be 3,800 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, releasing the equivalent of 1,150 megatons of TNT.
In March of this year, astronomers were able to observe it more closely, when he got about 17 million kilometers from Earth.
*With text by Marcelle Duarte
–
