Heavenly visitor: a skyscraper-sized asteroid hurtles toward Earth
16 June 14:50
On Sunday, June 22, a large asteroid 2003 AY2, which is classified as potentially dangerous, will fly near the Earth, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the diameter of this celestial body is 393.1 meters, about the size of a skyscraper. Its trajectory will pass at a distance of about 5.43 million kilometers from our planet.
According to NASA’s criteria, an asteroid is considered potentially dangerous if its diameter exceeds 150 meters and the minimum approach distance to Earth is less than 7.5 million kilometers. Object 2003 AY2 meets both of these criteria.
However, experts emphasize that there is no threat of a collision, but the object is under constant surveillance.
An asteroid is a small celestial body that orbits the Sun. Its size is smaller than planets, but larger than dust or rocks in space. Most asteroids are composed of stone, metals, or a mixture of both, and they are thought to be remnants from the formation of the solar system.
In short:
- Orbit the Sun
- Consist of rock, metals
- Do not have an atmosphere
- Most are concentrated in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter
Some asteroids that come close to Earth are called near-Earth asteroids, and if they are large and come within a certain distance, they are classified as potentially dangerous.
