Science Tips Tips Tricks Technology NASA Tracker: 4 Asteroids To Fly Past The Planet On Friday
Science Tips Tips Tricks Technology
KEY POINTS
- NASA detected four asteroids that are approaching Earth
- All asteroids will fly past Earth on Friday
- One of the asteroids measures 853 feet wide
NASA’s asteroid tracking system has detected four asteroids that are currently approaching Earth. Based on the data collected by the agency, the biggest asteroid in the group is larger than the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The four asteroids are expected to fly past Earth on Friday (May 1). NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) identified the first asteroid that will approach Earth as 2020 HF4. This asteroid is currently moving toward Earth at a speed of almost 6,000 miles per hour. It has an estimated diameter of 59 feet.
According to CNEOS, 2020 HF4 will zip past Earth at 4:50 a.m. EDT from a distance of about 0.02322 astronomical units, or roughly 2.2 million miles away.
Trailing behind 2020 HF4 is an asteroid known as 2020 DM4. This space rock is currently flying across space at an average velocity of over 14,000 miles per hour. It is the biggest asteroid in the group with an estimated diameter of 853 feet.
2020 DM4 is expected to fly past the planet at 5:05 a.m. EDT. During this time, the asteroid will be about 0.04721 astronomical units or about 4.4 million miles from the planet’s center.
The third asteroid approaching Earth is known as 2020 HU2. This space rock measures about 95 feet wide and is moving at a speed of over 12,000 miles per hour.
CNEOS noted that this asteroid will visit Earth’s vicinity at 11:36 a.m. EDT. During its approach, it will be about 0.01897 astronomical units from Earth, which is equivalent to about 1.8 million miles away.
The last asteroid that will fly past the planet on Friday is known as 2020 HR6. This asteroid is currently flying across the Solar System toward Earth at a speed of over 27,000 miles per hour. CNEOS estimated that it measures about 108 feet wide.
2020 HR6 will approach the planet at 6:34 p.m. EDT from a distance of about 0.03258 astronomical units or around 3 million miles away.
