NASA: Killer asteroid larger than Leaning Tower of Pisa rushing towards Earth- close encounter August 18
2022 PC, a 190-foot wide asteroid, is going to make its closest approach to the Earth on August 18, according to NASA. This gigantic asteroid can pose a deadly threat to humans. But is there a chance of an asteroid strike? Know it here.
The overwhelmingly high number of asteroids passing very close to our planet this week is a big concern and agencies such as NASA are keenly observing them to know at the earliest if one of them changes their trajectory and heads towards the Earth. Today, August 16, two big asteroids are reported to be making close approaches towards the Earth but none of them are as big as this 190-feet wide asteroid. For reference, it is as large as the Leaning Tower of Pisa (185 feet). If there is an asteroid strike on our planet, we would be in major trouble. This asteroid can cause massive destruction to life and infrastructure that would take us a long time to recover from. But will this city-killer asteroid strike our planet? Read on to find out more about this unique asteroid.
Asteroid 2022 PC is speeding towards the Earth
NASA has been collecting data on this asteroid ever since it was first discovered in July 2022. This information can be found on the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) website as well as Small-Body database and Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) websites, all functioning under NASA. According to the information, the asteroid is named 2022 PC and it will come as close as 6.3 million kilometers to the Earth. Traveling at a speed of 14,580 kilometers per hour, this asteroid can close this seemingly huge distance in mere days if a last moment deviation took place for some reason
As per the recent prediction models of NASA, the asteroid is likely to make a safe passage across the Earth. But astronomers are still monitoring the space rock till it crosses our planet.
Interestingly, this asteroid is unique. The orbit of this asteroid makes it revolve near the orbits of Earth and Venus. Although the orbit is elliptical, it is more rounded off than most asteroids. Because of this interesting trajectory, it comes near the Earth every few years. The near-Earth object will come close to Earth next in 2026 but it will not come this close to us till 2043.
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