It has a width of 90 feet, an equivalent of an aircraft. It’s expected to fly past the Earth at a distance of 5.3million kilometres travelling at a speed of 36479 kilometres per hour.
A potentially hazardous asteroid is set to pass the Earth at a very close and threatening range today. This is coming less than 24 hours after 4 asteroids passed the planet at a very close proximity yesterday, November 30. Space experts forecast that 3 more are expected to make close approaches to Earth today.
NASA’s Planetary Defence Coordination Office has red-flagged this particular space rock, named Asteroid 2022 WT9 by NASA as it heads towards the Earth today. It has a width of 90 feet, an equivalent of an aircraft. It’s expected to fly past the Earth at a distance of 5.3million kilometres travelling at a speed of 36479 kilometres per hour.
Although experts have assured that although this asteroid is not expected to impact the Earth anytime soon, a slight deviation in its path due to interaction with the planet’s gravitational field could change its trajectory and send it hurtling towards the planet with dire consequences.
According to reports by sky.org, the Asteroid 2022 WT9, which was discovered two days ago, specifically November 28, belongs to the Apollo tribe of asteroids. It takes 944 days to complete one trip around the Sun during which its maximum distance from the Sun is 416 million kilometres and nearest distance is 148 million kilometres.
