Chelyabinsk asteroid-sized space rock to pass Earth at very close quarters today
According to NASA, an asteroid, given the designation of Asteroid 2023 UV6, is on its way towards Earth and will pass the planet at a close distance today, October 27. The asteroid was discovered by NASA's Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), which is responsible for monitoring the skies and keeping a watch on various Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). Asteroid 2023 UV6 is expected to pass the planet at a distance of 3.9 million kilometers while travelling at a speed of 26329 kilometers per hour, as per the space agency. Here's all about Asteroid 2023 UV6.
It belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth's. These asteroids are named after the humongous 1862 Apollo asteroid, discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.
Despite its close approach, Asteroid 2023 UV6 does not pose any potential threat to the planet due to its relatively small size and hasn't been classified as a Potentially Dangerous Asteroid. With a width of around 59 feet, the space rock is as big as a house. It is the exact same size as the Chelyabinsk asteroid which exploded over the Russian city in 2013, damaging 7000 buildings and leaving over 1000 people injured.
What's more astonishing is that this is not the first time that this asteroid will come close to Earth. Its first-ever close approach in recorded history took place on March 14, 2010, as it passed the planet by a distance of 24 million kilometers. After today, the next time this asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth will be just next year on April 18, when it will pass by at a distance of 40 million kilometers.
Did you know that astronomers have also turned to algorithms for asteroid hunting?
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