- NASA clarified that the risk of impact of the large asteroid is “minimal”. Photo: AFP | referential
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported that a large “potentially dangerous” asteroid will enter Earth’s orbit on Thursday, April 28, although it clarified that the risk of impact is minimal.
The asteroid has an estimated diameter of between 350 and 780 meters. It is a size that can be equivalent to two Empire State towers in New York (USA).
The huge rock traveling at a speed of 37,400 km / h will pass at a distance of approximately 3 million kilometers from our planet.
This asteroid is of the Apollo type and was observed for the first time on September 27, 2003. However, it was discovered on January 12, 2008 by the Lemmon Survey. Due to the year of discovery, the huge rock was named: 2008 AG33.
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How is the asteroid 2008 AG33.
It is not the first time that this asteroid has approached so close to Earth. NASA indicated that this huge rock approached 2.5 million kilometers in May 1939.
The United States aerospace agency considers this asteroid as “potentially dangerous” due to its size, speed or path. However, he clarified that it does not present any risk of impact with the Earth.
NASA classifies asteroids according to their rarity and the number of times they orbit the Earth.
In the case of 2008 AG33, it is classified as a rarity 2 asteroid because a close approach of a celestial body of this size and characteristics only occurs once a year.
Also, the visitation pattern of this huge rock is seven years. The last time it passed close to planet Earth was on March 1, 2015, following the approach of April 28, 2022, it is estimated that it will be seen once more in the year 2029. NASA estimates that in its next approaches it would pass 72,420. 480 kilometers from the earth’s atmosphere.
A similar approach in early 2022
On January 18, 2022, an extremely large asteroid also passed very close to Earth, although it did not pose an impact risk either.
That asteroid, called (7482) 1994 PC1, traveled at a speed of 70,415 km/h and passed in front of the Earth at a distance of almost 2 million kilometers, as reported by Solar System Dynamics (SSD) at JPL-Caltech of The NASA. This huge rock was 1,100 meters long and was also listed as “potentially dangerous”. NASA gives this classification to celestial bodies that measure more than 140 meters in length.
An asteroid in the middle of SpaceX and NASA trips to the ISS
The approach of this asteroid to Earth will occur one day following a new group of astronauts began their journey into space as part of the transfer program that the private company SpaceX, owned by tycoon Elon Musk, carries out for NASA.
This Wednesday, April 27, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida (USA) with the Dragon Freedom capsule, which transports four astronauts to the International Space Station.
This new trip occurs two days following the SpaceX Dragon capsule, manned by businessmen, splashed down (which impacts in a controlled way in the water) off the coast of Florida.
Crew 4 joining Crew 3, which is nearing the end of its cycle in space. These will carry out more than 200 scientific and technical experiments, including ongoing research on growing plants without soil in space, as well as up to two spacewalks to replace the solar panels of the veteran orbital station.