Large Asteroid to Fly By Earth Next Week: Here's What You Need to Know

According to the NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the asteroid is expected to make its debut on December 20 at 10:17am EST.

Large Asteroid to Fly By Earth Next Week: Here's What You Need to Know

Photo Credit: NASA

The asteroid that will debut next week has a diametre of 1,772 feet

Highlights
  • The asteroid is currently moving towards Earth at 26,000 miles per hour
  • It belongs to the Apollos family of asteroids
  • The asteroid has a very wide orbit and covers many cosmic bodies
Advertisement

Earth is about to come face to face with a large asteroid next week, called 216258 (2006 WH1). First spotted in 2006 by the La Sagra Observatory, the asteroid will fly by Earth on December 20 at 10:17am EST, according to the NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). The asteroid has been classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA), which means it is capable of approaching Earth at a dangerously close distance.

NASA's CNEOS says that the 216258 (2006 WH1) asteroid follows an orbit that intersects directly with the planet's path. It is currently moving towards Earth at 26,000 miles per hour, and is significantly taller than Willis Tower in Chicago or the Empire State Building in New York. The asteroid has a diameter of 1,772 feet, reports IBTimes. Because of its massive size and its intersecting orbit, the asteroid has been classified as a PHA, and if it hits the planet, it could potentially destroy multiple cities. At its closest approach this year, the asteroid will be about 0.03904 astronomical units or around 3.6 million miles from the planet's centre, CNEOS reveals.

On its PHA page, NASA explains, “Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid's potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth. Specifically, all asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.05 au or less and an absolute magnitude (H) of 22.0 or less are considered PHAs.”

216258 (2006 WH1) asteroid has a very wide orbit and covers many cosmic bodies like Venus, Mercury, and even the Sun. It belongs to the Apollos family of asteroids.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: NASA, Asteroid
NASA Finds Shallow Deposits of Water Ice on Mars That Astronauts Could Reach With a Shovel
NASA Selects a Sample Collection Site on Asteroid Bennu
Share on Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat Share Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News
 
 

Advertisement

Follow Us

Advertisement

© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »