Huge asteroid coming ‘close’ to Earth
A large asteroid will come close to Earth within the next week according to NASA reports. The nearly halfkilometre-wide rock, formally known as 388945 (2008 TZ3), is set to make its closest approach on Sunday.
The giant rock is travelling at a whopping speed of 37,400 kilometres per hour. Live Science reports that at its closest approach, its speed will be 30 times faster than the speed of sound.
Luckily, the asteroid is only “close” in space terms according to experts. In reality, it is still 5.6 million kilometres away from our planet and is no cause for alarm.
Like Earth, 2008 TZ3 orbits the sun but it passes Earth every few years. In fact, it came a lot closer two years ago. In May 2020, it passed Earth as close as 2.7 million kilometres away. This year’s appearance, however, will be its closest one until May 2163.
Our planet is surrounded by asteroids, but experts keep a very close eye on their activities. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office scans our vicinity with telescopes and details any potential hazards.
Although some asteroids, like 2008 TZ3, are described as dangerous, that designation, according to space.com, is reached only due to “complex calculation related to size (larger than 150 metres) and the distance at which the object approaches Earth, among other factors.”
Asteroids are being discovered at a higher frequency but this is only due to the improvement of technology. With upgrades to the technology used in telescopes, it is no surprise that more and more asteroids are being revealed. This technological advancement is the first line of defence against any potential threats from rogue space rocks as NASA keeps a curated list of potential harmful asteroids.
Reports reveal that there is no threat to Earth despite many years of searching because the chances of impact are statistically improbable.
In the case that an asteroid like 2008 TZ3 — which is as big as The Empire State Building — is a threat, NASA has defensive technologies and manoeuvres in place.
One of which is the development of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). This is NASA’s first planetary defence spacecraft which aims to crash into an asteroid at an extreme velocity with the aim of redirecting it.