Asteroid 2002 TB70 is set to approach Earth: what NASA is saying
6 April 20:42
On Tuesday, April 7, asteroid 2002 TB70, classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, will pass close to Earth.
This was reported by NASA, according to [Komersant].
What are the asteroid’s dimensions?
According to scientists’ estimates, the celestial object is approximately 163.9 meters long.
This makes it larger than most asteroids that regularly pass by Earth.
How close will it come?
At its closest approach, the asteroid will be about 5.2 million kilometers from Earth.
For comparison, this is more than 13 times farther than the distance between Earth and the Moon. Therefore, it poses no real threat to the planet.
Why is it called “potentially hazardous”?
NASA has a special classification system for near-Earth objects.
Potentially hazardous objects include asteroids that:
- come within 7.5 million km of Earth;
- are larger than 150 meters.
Asteroid 2002 TB70 meets both criteria, so it falls into this category.
What scientists learn from asteroids
Studying asteroids allows scientists to better understand the origin of the Solar System.
For example, analysis of samples from the asteroid Ryugu showed that water in the form of ice could have existed in the celestial body of which it was a part.
Such discoveries help scientists determine how planets formed and whether asteroids could have brought water to early Earth.
