There are several asteroids that approach Earth every week. But not all of them pose a threat to the Earth. NASA calls asteroids Potentially Hazardous if they come within 8 million kilometers of Earth. NASA recently revealed that up to 6 asteroids passed by Earth at extremely close distance yesterday, although none have the potential to destroy the world. That may have changed as the asteroid’s orbit was slightly deflected by interactions with Earth’s gravitational field that could have caused it to plunge toward Earth.
Now, the space agency has revealed that another asteroid is on its way towards Earth. So how close will this space rock pass and how fast will it go?
Details of asteroid 2023 CY1
NASA has issued a warning against an asteroid called Asteroid 2023 CY1. This terrifying asteroid is expected to make a very close approach to Earth today, February 17. Its close approach will be just 1.7 million kilometers (about 1056331.03 miles). This asteroid is on its way towards Earth, moving at an amazing speed of 23967 km/h.
According to NASA, Asteroid 2023 CY1 belongs to the Apollo asteroid group, a group of near-Earth asteroids named after the giant asteroid 1862 Apollo, discovered in the years by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth. 1930. It ranges in size from 50 feet to 111 feet, according to the space agency.
How are asteroid orbits calculated?
The orbit of an asteroid is calculated by finding an elliptical orbit around the sun that best matches the available observations of the object using various space and ground-based telescopes, such as the telescope. NASA’s NEOWISE telescope and its brand new Sentry II algorithm. That is, the object’s calculated path around the sun is adjusted until the predictions of where the asteroid should appear in the sky at some point in time are observed to match the positions. that the object has been observed before.
