Super-Sized Asteroids To Approach Earth This Month; Here's All About The Space Rocks Heading Towards The Planet
ABP News Bureau | 04 Jun 2020 01:35 PM (IST)
Asteroid 2002 NN4 is expected to be taller than the Empire State Building in the US, and it will be flying near the Earth on June 6.
Near-Earth asteroid, computer artwork/ Getty Images
New Delhi: If you are still not overwhelmed by the fury of nature which has created havoc in the eastern and western coast of India in the form of cyclones, it’s time to witness yet another spectacular event as a large number of space rocks or Near-Earth Objects or NEOs or asteroids are headed in the direction of Earth. Also Read: The asteroids are expected to approach the Earth from relatively close range, according to the NASA’s Centre for Near Earth Object studies website. However, scientists have already said that the flying objects will not cause any damage to the planet. Here's NASA's link for tracking the asteroids: https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/ Asteroid 2002 NN4 | June 6 If you check the NEO Close Approach data table, the asteroid 2002 NN4 will make its closest approach to Earth on June 6, at 3:20AM UTC. At its closest, the asteroid will reach a distance of 0.034 AU, or 5.09 million kilometres, as summarised in the News18 report. Given the name rock 163348 (2002 NN4), the space rock is believed to be travelling at a speed of 5.2 km a second or 11,200 miles per hour and will pass by near the Earth's orbit this week. It is estimated to be between 250m and 570m (820ft and 1870ft) and taller than the Empire State Building (443m or 1453ft) and the London Eye (135m or 443ft) combined, according to the dailystar.co.uk. The particular asteroid has been classed as Aten asteroid by International space agency, which is a space rock following a very wide orbit around the Sun, as per news agency IANS report. This particular space rock is supposed to be deadly since its broadest part has a diameter of 570 metres. During the fly-by asteroid 2002 NN4 will be at relative velocity of 40,140 kmph.