Proximity Alert! 140-foot asteroid on course for Earth rendesvouz today, NASA warns
Our planet witnessed numerous asteroid flybys last year and 2023 has been relentless so far too, with as many as 5 asteroids set to pass by Earth today alone. Although none of these 5 space rocks are expected to impact Earth's surface, their close approaches serve as a reminder of the potential danger that asteroids can pose to our planet. That is why agencies like NASA, ESA and others continue to keep an eye on these Near-Earth Objects, which have the potential to cause major destruction on Earth if they ever impacted.
With the help of its advanced tech, NASA has now revealed that one of the asteroids that is on its way is gigantic and could approach Earth at a very close distance!
NASA has warned that an asteroid named Asteroid 2023 EO1 is speeding towards Earth and is expected to pass by the planet closely today March 23. In fact, this space rock is already on its way towards us travelling at a staggering speed of 76024 kilometers per hour. The asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of just 2.6 million kilometers or 0.01753 astronomical units (AU).
An astronomical unit (AU, or au) is basically a unit of length equal to the average, or mean, distance between Earth and the Sun, that is, 149,597,870.7 kilometers. Although this distance may seem a lot, it is relatively a small number in astronomical distances, considering how big the asteroid is.
Asteroid 2023 EO1 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and is particularly concerning due to its sheer size. With a width of nearly 140 feet, this space rock is the size of an aircraft! Impact of an asteroid this size would cause regional destruction but would not be able to end life on Earth. However, it could still cause significant destruction to
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