Asteroid Alert: Two Large Objects Due to Soar Through Earth’s Neighborhood Later This Week
Two enormous asteroids, 447755 (2007 JX2) and (2020 XR), are set to fly by Earth on December 3 and 4, respectively. Both objects have been classified as near-Earth objects (NEOs) and potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) due to their large size and proximity to our planet.
According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Center for Near-Earth Studies, these asteroids are estimated to be around 1,300 feet and 1,200 feet in diameter, respectively. However, NASA estimates that they may be slightly smaller, with a diameter of between 984 feet and 2,198 feet for 447755 (2007 JX2), and between 951 feet and 2,133 feet for (2020 XR).
To put these sizes into perspective, the Empire State Building stands at around 1,250 feet tall. The asteroids are expected to pass extremely close to Earth, with 447755 (2007 JX2) coming within 3,440,000 miles of our planet and (2020 XR) passing by at a distance of 1,370,000 miles.
While these objects do pose a potential threat, NASA closely monitors their orbits to ensure they avoid any close approaches. The agency tracks around 36,000 NEOs and roughly 2,350 PHAs, using data from multiple sources to predict future close-approaches.
If an asteroid of this size were to collide with Earth, the consequences would be catastrophic. According to experts, an object of this magnitude could cause a regional disaster, taking out a small country, and have far-reaching global consequences for the economy and globalization.
Other smaller asteroids will also pass near Earth this week, including the house-sized 2024 WN4 and bus-sized 2021 XZ, which will zip past on December 2 at distances of 1,100,000 miles and 3,140,000 miles, respectively. The 60-foot 2024 WL6 will pass by on December 3 at a distance of 937,000 miles.
Asteroid tracking is an ongoing effort to better predict future close-approaches and prevent any potential threats. As experts continue to observe and study these objects, our calculations become more accurate, allowing us to stay one step ahead in the quest to protect our planet from asteroid impacts.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com