Asteroid bigger than Statue of Liberty set for Earth flyby, but BIG ONE of 2021 to come in March, NASA warns
February 10, 2021
NASA is warning of a slew of asteroids headed Earth’s way in the coming days and weeks, some coming between us and the moon, with others measuring roughly the same size as the Golden Gate Bridge.
On February 10 alone, at least four Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are due to buzz the Earth.
The nine-meter asteroid 2021 CX has already passed the planet at a safe distance of 1.9 million kilometers.
Space rocks including the Statue of Liberty-sized, 119-meter long 2019 YP5 and the 5-meter 2008 DB will follow shortly after at a distance of 3.1 million km and 5 million km respectively.
Bringing up the rear on Wednesday will be 2021 CE3, with a diameter of 16m, which will pass the planet at a distance of 7.3 million km.
Less than 24 hours later, proving that size doesn’t always matter when it comes to the threat posed by space rocks, the six-meter asteroid 2021 CU1 will pass the planet at 605,113 km.
For reference, the average distance between Earth and the moon is about 385,000 kilometers.
Soon after, not to be outdone in scaring the hell out of stargazing earthlings, asteroid 2021 CO, measuring 32 metres in length, will come between us and the moon at a distance of 345,885 km and a speed of 41,000 kilometers per hour.
Lest anyone get too comfy, in March NASA is warning of the Golden Gate Bridge-sized asteroid 2001 FO32, with an estimated diameter of somewhere between 769m to 1.6km, which is expected to pass within 2 million km of our planet.
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