Colossal 175-Metre Asteroid to Dazzle and Astound: A Celestial Spectacle Approaches Earth This Thursday!
An asteroid named 363305 (2002 NV16) is scheduled to pass by Earth on October 24 at 9:17 PM IST, coming as close as 4.52 million kilometers. This distance is over 11 times the gap between the Earth and the Moon. The asteroid, approximately 175 meters wide—comparable to a large building—and traveling at 17,542 kmph, is categorized as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) because of its size and proximity. However, NASA assures there is no collision threat during this flyby.
This event underscores the importance of NASA’s planetary defense program, which monitors near-Earth objects (NEOs) such as asteroids and comets capable of approaching within 195 million kilometers of the Sun. While most NEOs range from a few meters to 40 kilometers in diameter, PHAs are notably larger, exceeding 140 meters, and require careful observation due to their potential threat.
On October 19, Asteroid 2024 TY21 safely passed Earth at 1.35 million kilometers. With a diameter of about 40 feet, similar to a bus, this asteroid posed no risk. To enhance NEO monitoring and defense, NASA is advancing missions like the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), aimed at testing asteroid deflection through spacecraft impact, and NEO Surveyor, a future space telescope designed to discover and categorize distant potential threats.
These efforts are critical for ensuring Earth’s safety against potential future hazards from space.
Original Story https://www.news18.com/viral/massive-asteroid-175-metres-in-size-to-zoom-past-earth-on-thursday-9093629.html
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