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Should We Be Worried About This 50-Meter Asteroid Hurling to Earth?

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By Augustine Mbam - - 5 Mins Read
A 3D rendition on an asteroid
Asteroid (Pixabay) |

According to the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a new asteroid named 2023 HO18 is set to pass the Earth in June.

 

Information from this credible source says that the asteroid will pass at a very close range but will not make any contact with the planet. This is one of the many asteroids expected to pass the Earth this year.

 

The size of this particular asteroid has been identified, and it is said to be as big as almost 28 domesticated sheep, according to an analogy made by the Jerusalem Post. It passed the Earth on June 4th, according to an asteroid tracker from NASA, but the impact wasn't felt as it made no contact. This particular asteroid was named 2023 HO18 because it was discovered this year. 

 

From details gathered from experts, this asteroid will pass the Earth closer than average, and it even got a rarity rating of one. The 2023 HO18 asteroid will come alongside two other asteroids slated to be more significant. 

More Details on Asteroid 2023 HO18 

The asteroid 2023 HO18 is said to be 50 meters in diameter, which is quite extensive, but also smaller than the Earth. The two other asteroids to pass the Earth on June 4th, together with the 2023 HO18, are named Asteroid 2023 JE5 and Asteroid 2023 JR 2, respectively. They are more significant than the HO18 when they are compared.

Also Read: Amazing! Astronomers Sights 3 Million Undiscovered Galaxies in 300 Hours

The Asteroid 2023 JE5 has a diameter length of 59 meters, while the Asteroid 2023 JR 2 has a diameter of 63 meters. Obviously, the asteroid to hit the Earth didn't pass on June 4th. Scientists said that the three asteroids passing the Earth were very close but were not close enough to make any contact with the Earth. 

 

With a size of 50 meters, the 2023 HO18 was large enough to have some impact on the planet, assuming they made contact. However, NASA said that it would pass just over 466,000 kilometers away from Earth.

 

Despite how close this might look, this asteroid does not even come close to Earth compared to the moon. The moon passes the Earth at an incredible average distance of 384,000 kilometers. But compared to other asteroids that passed the Earth without contact, it is closer than expected. 

Other Asteroids that Hit the Earth In 2023 

The 2023 HO18 narrowly passed the Earth without touching the surface, but some other space bodies entered the Earth within the same year. The most prominent is Asteroid 2023 CX1, discovered before it hit the earEartht didn't cause any damage. It exploded in the atmosphere above the English Channel, close to Normandy in France, without hurting anyone. 


NASA commented on the asteroid when it hit the Earth in February, saying it won't have any impact on Earth. "If you're in the area, look up to see a beautiful sight! When small, harmless asteroids impact Earth, they Earthcreate meteors or "shooting stars" when they safely disintegrate in the atmosphere. Tiny asteroids like this one pose no threat to Earth, but Earthare an excellent exercise of Earth's # plEarth'sdefense capabilities that find and track #asteroids and accurately predict such impacts," NASA Asteroid Watch said on Twitter.

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