As the COVID-19 crisis continues around the planet, humanity’s gaze is firmly fixed on the pandemic playing out around us. Meanwhile, more than 100 of Earth’s largest research telescopes have been forced to shutter their doors, Astronomy magazine reported this week.
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But there’s no need to worry about an incoming asteroid — at least, not any more than usual. Despite the closures, Earth’s top asteroid-hunting instruments remain on the prowl for potentially deadly space rocks.
Many things are taking place:
Asteroid news: Earth sling-shots fireball towards Jupiter | Science | News | Express.co.uk
The astronomers were stunned to see the meteor burn brightly for 90 seconds before its trajectory was altered.
They have since determined the planet acted like a slingshot, propelling the fireball back into the solar system.
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Lead researcher and PhD candidate Patrick Shober said the discovery is the first time scientists have recorded a "sling-shot event".
"The most intriguing quality about this fireball is that it basically used Earth as a type of sling-shot, gaining itself an express ticket to Jupiter, where it will most likely spend around 200 thousand years in an orbit near the gas giant.
NASA Asteroid Tracker: 3 Airburst-Causing NEOs Approaching Earth Tomorrow
NASA'S Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) identified the first asteroid that will approach tomorrow as 2020 FL4 . As indicated in the agency's database, this asteroid measures about 77 feet wide and is moving across the Solar System toward Earth at a speed of over 10,000 miles per hour.
Closely following 2020 FL4 is an asteroid known as 2015 GK . According to CNEOS, this asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 135 feet, making it the biggest asteroid in the group. CNEOS noted that it is currently traveling across space with an average velocity of almost 29,000 miles per hour.
NASA: 112-Foot Asteroid To Intersect Earth's Orbit Tomorrow
NASA's asteroid tracking system has detected a near-Earth asteroid that's expected to closely approach Earth tomorrow. Data collected on the asteroid's orbit revealed that the space rock would intersect Earth's path during its visit.
According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the approaching asteroid is known as 2020 GF1 . The agency estimated that this asteroid has a diameter of about 112 feet. It is currently traveling across the Solar System at a speed of almost 14,000 miles per hour.
Not to change the topic here:
Asteroid news: A 4KM rock will zip past Earth this month - astronomers can already see it |
The asteroid will zip past our planet on April 29, coming within 3.9 million miles (6.29 million km).
According to astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, head of the Virtual Telescope Project, the asteroid will be probably bright enough on the night of the flyby to be seen through even basic telescopes and binoculars.
Dr Masi told Express.co.uk he snapped a photo of the space rock on April 18, from the Virtual Telescope's facilities in Ceccano, Italy.
Asteroid set for close encounter to enter Earth's trajectory on Thursday - The National
The large space rock is classed as "potentially hazardous" but will pass by safely at a proximity of 6.2 million kilometres, NASA says
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A giant asteroid measuring up to 4.1km will enter the Earth's trajectory around the sun tomorrow, coming close to the earth later this month NASA said. According to asteroid trackers at the space agency, asteroid 1998 OR2 will miss the earth by 6.2 million kilometres when it passes by on April 29, posing no threat to the planet.
Huge 2-mile asteroid will be visible from Earth this month – and is deemed 'potentially hazardous'
Dubbed 1998 OR2, the space rock will be so big that amateur skygazers should be able to spot it as it streaks across the heavens on April 29.
Nasa has classed the object as "potentially hazardous" although experts do not believe it will hit our planet.
Instead, OR2 is expected to sail safely past at a distance of around 4million miles – or about 17 times the distance from Earth to the Moon.
That may sound like a long way, but it's close enough that Nasa classes the asteroid as a "Near Earth Object" (NEO).
Biggest Asteroid To Approach In April Arriving Next Week, NASA Reveals
NASA's asteroid tracking system is currently monitoring a building-sized space rock that's expected to approach Earth in April. According to the data collected by the agency, the asteroid is big enough and is moving fast enough to cause a major impact event on the planet.
The approaching asteroid was detected by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). Identified as 363599 (2004 FG11) , this asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 1,248 feet, which makes it almost as big as the Empire State Building.
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