The largest asteroid who will draw near within the earth 2021 will happen approx two million kilometers road the Sunday March 21, without the risk of collision, but it will allow astronomers to study this celestial object more closely.
Baptized as 2001 FO32 and from less than a kilometer in diameter, will go to 124 mph, “faster than most asteroids” according to NASA circulating close to Earth.
“There is no risk of colliding with our planet”explained the US space agency. At its closest approach, the asteroid will still be there at a distance more than five times that between the Earth and the Moon.
However, a divorce considered close enough to be classified as “potentially dangerous”, according to the official categories.
THE ASTEROID WAS DISCOVERED 20 YEARS AGO
The asteroid was discovered in March 2001 and its trajectory has been followed ever since.
“At the moment we know little about this object, so this meeting from very close by gives us an incredible opportunity to learn a lot “ about him, appreciated Lance Benner, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, on which the Center for Studies of Proximate Earth Objects (CNEOS) depends.
For example, by studying the light reflected from the surface, researchers can get a better idea of its composition.
Amateur astronomers in the southern hemisphere and low northern latitudes they should be able to see this asteroid with the help of medium-sized telescopes“he estimated Paul Chodas, director of CNEOS, quoted in a statement.
None of the cataloged major asteroids has a chance of crashing to Earth in the next century and it is highly unlikely that those undiscovered will be able to do so, NASA reassured.
Regardless, he adds, “the more information we can gather about the objects, better prepare mission designers to distract them if anyone ever threatens the Earth. ”