This asteroid marks that more than 1000 asteroids have ever approached Earth

Writer: Arif Budianto

KONTAN.CO.ID – This asteroid marks that more than 1000 asteroids have ever approached Earth. Named 2016 AJ193, it will be the 1001st near-Earth asteroid since 1968.

Did you know that more than 1000 asteroids have approached our planet. Detected by NASA Goldstone’s radar on August 22, 2021, the asteroid 2016 AJ193 marks the 1001st asteroid to approach Earth.

Quote from Earthsky, since the first radar asteroid 1566 Icarus in 1968, more than 1000 asteroids have approached Earth.

Speaking of asteroids, 2016 AJ193 passed pretty close to a size of about 0.9 miles (1.4 Km). The asteroid is moving at a speed of 58,538 miles per hour (94,208 km/h) relative to Earth. The asteroid also passed Earth at a safe distance of 2.1 million miles (3.4 million Km) or about 8.9 times the moon’s distance from us on August 21, 2021.

A little looking back, on August 20-24, scientists studied the space rock through the NASA Goldstone antenna, California, USA. They send radio signals to the asteroids and analyze the radar reflections or “echoes” that return.

Scientists found that asteroid 2016 AJ193 completes a rotation every 3.5 hours. They were also able to obtain fairly good detail of the object’s surface, including ridges, small hills, flat areas, basins and possibly large rocks, NASA said.

Also Read: An asteroid bigger than the Statue of Liberty is expected to enter Earth orbit this September

The 1000th asteroid approaching Earth

Prior to the arrival of asteroid 2016 AJ193 to approach Earth, 2021 PJ1 became the 1000th asteroid to approach Earth. This tiny asteroid passes Earth at a distance of more than 1 million miles (1.7 million Km).

The asteroids are between 65 and 1000 feet (about 20 and 30 meters) in size. The good news, the 1000th asteroid approaching Earth is not a potential threat to Earth.

Nonetheless, the approach of the asteroid became historic.

“…marks the 1,000th near-Earth asteroid to be observed by planetary radar in just 50 years,” NASA said.

Despite all that, astronomers have realized that asteroids and comets are indeed a potential threat to Earth. Therefore, scientists will conduct research on asteroid radar.

The research aims to observe asteroids approaching Earth. Including new observations for AJ193 2016 and 2021 PJ1.