As reported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA, for its acronym in English) this November 1, a giant asteroid, classified as “potentially dangerous”, will fly over the Earth. Fortunately, without any risk of impact.
On September 22, the space rock, called 2022 RM4, was discovered by astronomers with the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS1), a project led by the Institute for Astronomy of the University of Hawaii, the Lincoln Laboratory of the MIT and other research centers in the United States.
The results were based on a network of telescopes located at the Haleakala Observatory (island of Maui, Hawaii), which constantly scans the sky for new asteroids, comets and other celestial bodies.
According to NASA, 2022 RM4 has an estimated diameter of 330 and 740 meters, just slightly less than the 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world.
In addition, at its closest approach, scheduled for this November 1, the asteroid will reach about 2.3 million kilometers from Earth, about six times the average distance between it and the moon, at a speed of approximately 84,500 km / h or 68 times the Speed of sound.
Space rock 2022 RM4 will have its closest distance to Earth around 12:26 p.m. from central Mexico. For astronomical distances, this is an unusual closeness for an asteroid of its size.
NASA defines as “potentially dangerous” a celestial object with a diameter greater than 150 meters that in its trajectory passes less than 7.5 million kilometers (19.5 times the distance of the moon) from us, since its impact on Earth could have important consequences and effects.
close but safe
However, in the particular case of asteroid 2022 RM4, although the US agency announced that it is “potentially dangerous” because it will approach less than 7.48 million kilometers from Earth, there is no possibility of an impact on our planet.
Asteroid 2022 RM4 doesn’t visit Earth very often. The last time was more than 23 years ago, on October 17, 1999. On the other hand, the next time this space rock approaches the planet will be on November 11, 2045, in another 23 years.
In addition, we can rest easy for a long time, since, according to NASA, for the next 100 years there is no danger of an apocalyptic collision for the Earth.
Source: Okchicas
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