NASA has warned that five large asteroids are heading towards Earth. One of them will come closer to the Earth than the Moon. But there is nothing to panic about. Let us know briefly about these asteroids.
NASA has warned that five large asteroids are heading towards Earth. One of them will come closer to the Earth than the Moon. But there is nothing to panic about. Asteroids will pass by Earth this week, NASA said. These asteroids are: 2023 QR, 2023 PM1, 2023 Q, 2023 PM and 2023 QO.
Such asteroids often pass by the earth. But they usually don’t hurt the Earth. Goes out through the ears of the world. So there is no damage. Even if an asteroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere for some reason, it is not a problem. Because, firstly, most of the asteroids are very small. So most of them usually burn to ashes when they fall to the surface. However, if a large asteroid rushes and hits the earth in this way, disaster can occur.
The extinction of the dinosaurs clearly tells us that. But people are also ready. NASA has a project called Dart Mission for just such a situation. The Double Asteroid Reduction Test, abbreviated to the DART project, launched spacecraft aimed at asteroids. By hitting the target, the spacecraft will de-orbit the asteroid. NASA has already tested the functionality of this project on September 26, 2022. So don’t worry. Yet these five asteroids are so large in size and will pass so close that they have become a source of curiosity.
Within this week, these five asteroids will pass by the Earth. Let’s have a brief look at the size, shape and velocity of asteroids.
1. 2023 QR (2023 QR): According to the data of the US space research agency NASA, this asteroid is supposed to pass by the Earth on Sunday night, August 20. At this time, the distance of the asteroid from the earth will be 1 lakh 29 thousand kilometers. The distance from earth seems to be much but in astronomical terms this distance is very less. The car-sized asteroid is about 16 feet across.
2. 2023 PM1 (2023 PM1): The asteroid is coming towards the earth at a speed of 66 thousand 860 kilometers per hour. It was first observed on 13 August. Last seen on August 18. According to NASA, there is nothing to panic about this asteroid either. The 220-foot-long (about the size of a Boeing 777) asteroid will fly past Earth on Monday, August 21.
3. 2023 QE (2023 QE): This asteroid is shaped like a passenger bus. The asteroid will pass by Earth on Monday, August 21. The 37-foot-long asteroid will pass by 20,70,000 kilometers from Earth. The velocity of the asteroid will be 23 thousand 609 kilometers per hour.
4. 2023 PM: The asteroid will fly past Earth on Tuesday, August 22. At this time, the distance of the asteroid from the earth will be about 22 lakh 70 thousand kilometers. The speed will be 25 thousand 81 km per hour. The asteroid was first spotted on August 8 this year. It is an asteroid of the Amor family. But there is no reason for the people of the world to panic. The asteroid is quite small in size. The 190-foot asteroid is shaped like an airplane. Secondly, as mentioned earlier, it will also pass through the far reaches of the Earth.
5. 2023 QO: According to NASA, the asteroid will pass by Earth on Wednesday, August 23. At this time, its distance from the earth will be 15 lakh 30 thousand kilometers. It is a member of the Apollo family. The asteroid will pass by the Earth at a speed of 19,584 million kilometers per hour. The asteroid was last seen on August 18. Roughly the size of a house, this asteroid is 46 feet long.
Source: NASA and Hindustan Times, bigganchinta
