A majestic asteroid soon to approach Earth is just a day away from arriving. NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has even come to argue that the asteroid could be potentially dangerous. Read below to know all the details of the asteroid and whether we should be concerned about it or not.
Should we be concerned about the approaching asteroid?
Don’t worry, asteroid (138971) #2001CB21 poses no risk to Earth. The asteroid would pass by Earth, and according to NASA calculations, the asteroid would pass 7.5 million km from Earth. It is also pertinent to note that the asteroid is passing Earth at a tremendous speed of 36,800 miles per hour. That said, the asteroid’s proximity could pose a risk, as its orbit could be altered even if a small change happens to it. Asteroid 2001 CB21 takes 384 days to complete one orbit around the sun. The asteroid is said to be 97% larger than most known asteroids approaching Earth.
asteroids
Asteroids are actually minor planets that cannot be classified as either a planet or a comet. These are generally located in the direct orbit around the sun, also known as the inner solar system. The larger forms of asteroids are also called asteroids. The minor solar system bodies and minor planets can be classified into asteroids, but not all objects that fall into the minor planet category are asteroids.
☄️ Next March 4, 2022, the potentially dangerous asteroid #138971 #2001CB21 will have a relatively close encounter with our planet: we are planning a live coverage.
📷 Last night we made a preview for our community, here it is!
Lake: pic.twitter.com/B4bPjZChZz— Virtual Telescope (@VirtualTelescop) January 31, 2022
Because minor planets can be asteroids, dwarf planets, centaurs, trojans, plutoids, small solar system bodies, Kuiper belt objects, and other trans-Neptunian objects. Asteroids are rocky objects and they are made of minerals and rocks. While the comets are specially made of ice and dust. This is just a common difference between asteroids and comets.