Did you know that most asteroids are irregular in shape, although some are nearly spherical and often have pits or craters? As these asteroids orbit the Sun in their elliptical orbits, they also rotate, sometimes quite erratically, falling as they go, according to NASA. Asteroids often make close approaches to Earth, generally missing the planet by a few hundred thousand kilometers. However, they are still monitored by NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which monitors these Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) for any possible impact. Now, the agency has warned that an asteroid is hurtling toward Earth today.
Key details of Asteroid 2022 UK5
NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which monitors dangerous Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), has red-flagged an asteroid called Asteroid 2022 UK5 due to its extremely close approach to the planet. The asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth today, November 8, at a distance of 5.4 million kilometers. According to NASA, the space rock is already on its way to the planet at a speed of almost 18648 kilometers per hour, which is almost the speed of a supersonic ballistic missile! What makes this asteroid stand out from other asteroids is its sheer size. Asteroid 2022 UK5 has a width ranging between 104 feet and 232 feet. That means Asteroid 2022 UK5 is the size of a commercial airliner! According to the-sky.org, Asteroid 2022 UK5 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids. It was discovered just a few months ago, on September 24th. This asteroid takes 595 days to complete a trip around the Sun during which its maximum distance from the Sun is 268 million km and the closest distance is 146 million km.
You knew that?
According to NASA, the orbits of asteroids can be altered by Jupiter’s massive gravity and by occasional close encounters with planets like Mars or other objects. These chance encounters can knock asteroids out of the main belt and hurl them into space in all directions into the orbits of the other planets.
