A huge asteroid is about to hit Earth today at a very close distance. NASA revealed key details about the asteroid.
Although NASA regularly issues alerts against small asteroids that often make close trips to Earth, it’s rare for large space rocks to tear themselves towards us. Although these asteroids are hundreds of feet across, they are still not large enough to cause catastrophic devastation that will end all life. In fact, NASA estimates that an asteroid would have to be at least 96 kilometers across to be considered a planet killer. But that doesn’t mean we should completely ignore all warnings from the space agency. Small asteroids can still cause massive loss of life if they hit a crowded city.
Now, be warned, another asteroid is heading towards Earth at an incredible speed today, and it’s huge!
NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which monitors hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs), has red-flagged an asteroid called Asteroid 2010 XC15 due to its close proximity to the planet.
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Background information on asteroid 2010 XC15
The asteroid will approach Earth today, December 27, at a distance of only 772,318 kilometers. According to NASA, the space rock is already on its way towards the planet at a speed of approximately 36,358 kilometers per hour, which is more than the speed of a hypersonic ballistic missile! What distinguishes this asteroid from other asteroids is its huge size. NASA revealed that it’s a 570-foot-tall monster, making it about the size of a tall skyscraper!
According to the-sky.org, 2010 XC15 belongs to the Apollo asteroid group. It was discovered more than a decade ago on December 5, 2010. This asteroid takes 229 days to complete one trip around, its maximum distance from the Sun is 156 million km and its closest distance is 64 million km.
did you know
According to NASA, asteroid orbits can be altered by Jupiter’s massive gravity and by occasional close encounters with planets like or other objects. These accidental encounters can knock asteroids out of the main belt and hurl them into space in all directions through the orbits of other planets.