Nasa warning reveals three skyscraper-sized asteroids to fly by Earth this week – and two are “potentially dangerous”.
NASA has confirmed that three skyscraper-sized asteroids will fly past Earth this week.
The results were published by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology.
JPL discovered the space rocks through its Asteroid Watch dashboard.
One of the rocks (2021 QW) is considered a Near Earth Object (NEO), but the other two (2012 DK31 and 2006 BE55) are classified as “Potentially Hazardous”.
NASA further explains: “Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the potential of the asteroid to make an ominous close approach to Earth.
“In particular, all asteroids with a minimum orbital crossing distance (MOID) of 0.05 AU or less and an absolute magnitude (H) of 22.0 or less are considered PHAs.”
Asteroid 2012 DK31
This space rock, designated 2012 DK31, flew past our planet yesterday (February 27).
It came close to Earth as close as 3 million miles (4.8 million km).
The rock measures about 450 feet in diameter — or a 40-story skyscraper.
2012 DK31 is currently traveling at speeds of 34,761 mph.
Asteroid 2006 BE55
On Tuesday, February 28 at approximately 11:00 p.m. EST, a second PHA will approach our planet’s orbit.
According to Nasa, it will come 2.2 million miles (3.5 million km) close to our planet.
Asteroid 2006 BE55 is also about 450 feet in diameter.
The alien rock is moving at a speed of 29,805 miles per hour.
Asteroid 2021 QW
On Friday, March 3, asteroid 2021 QW will approach Earth from a safe distance of 5.3 million kilometers (3.3 million miles).
About 250 feet in diameter, this space rock will be traveling at about 27,028 miles per hour.
Although the asteroid isn’t big enough to be called PHA, it still approaches Earth every few years.
https://www.the-sun.com/tech/7512477/nasa-alert-three-asteroids-fly-earth/ Nasa warning reveals three skyscraper-sized asteroids to fly by Earth this week – and two are “potentially dangerous”.