Asteroid scare on Earth Day! Two large asteroids heading for the Earth today, says NASA

NASA: Asteroid trouble is brewing on Earth Day. Yes, the day we celebrate Earth and spread awareness about environmental protection has also turned out to be the day that a couple of large asteroids are coming dangerously close to it. Potentially, these asteroids can cause massive damage. According to the American space agency, NASA, two big asteroids will be approaching Earth today, April 22. The larger of the two is as big as a Boeing 747 jet! At the moment, NASA says that the likelihood of the asteroids making contact with the Earth is very low. However, both the asteroids have been classified as ‘potentially hazardous’ due to their size and proximity to our planet. Astronomers are constantly watching the asteroid to ensure they do not deviate from their path.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory by NASA has shared more details about the asteroid duo. The asteroids have been named 2022 GU3 and 2017 UR2. The 2022 GU3 is a 79-feet wide asteroid which can be compared to a Boeing 747 jet, while 2017 UR2 is 32-feet wide and is as large as a bus. It may seem that they are not big enough to cause problems, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. If any of these asteroids crashed into the Earth, it would not only cause direct destruction in a large area, but also cause earthquakes and tsunamis.

NASA: Asteroid duo heading towards Earth

The 2022 GU3 is expected to fly past the Earth at a distance of only 1,740,000 kilometers while the 2017 UR2 will make its closest approach at a distance of 7,450,000 kilometers. Do note, that while the distance seems too big for us to feel concerned, at the speed these asteroids move, the distance feels like a small number. Space distances are measured in astronomical units. Astronomical unit is roughly the distance from Earth to the Sun and equal to about 150 million kilometers. In astronomical units, the asteroids are placed at a distance of just 0.01 au and 3.2 au. The close proximity has also resulted in the asteroids being labeled as near-Earth objects or NEOs.