Experts are monitoring the path of the asteroids in order to ensure that Earth doesn’t suffer any consequences during their journey as the first pass this weekend
NASA has identified five asteroids that are heading towards Earth within the coming days, with experts identifying which will come closest.
This weekend two space rocks 2020 MU1 and 2020 ML – at 120ft and 73ft in diameter respectively – will shoot past.
Thankfully, they will be relatively far away with MU1 and ML expected to pass at a distance of 4.4million miles and 2.7million miles respectively.
Following the double trouble over the weekend, another three asteroids will also whizz past in the next week.
On July 13, 2020 KJ7, 96ft, and 2009 OS5, 140ft, will race past us at 2.8 and 4.2million miles.
They will then be followed by 2020 MQ, 140ft, that will pass at 4million miles.
For those still panicking, don’t worry, the distance between the Earth and Moon is 239,000miles – putting the asteroids at a relatively safe distance.
But, asteroid 2012 HG2 is estimated to have some 469 chances to impact the Earth between 2052 and 2119, with the earliest possible collision happening on February 12, 2052.
NASA said in a statement: “Sentry is a highly automated collision monitoring system that continually scans the most current asteroid catalog for possibilities of future impact with Earth over the next 100 years.”
Although HG2 could impact with the Earth, if it considered to be quite small by asteroid standards and would burn up in the atmosphere – appearing similar to fireworks going off.
But, with the world coming together to battle the deadly coronavirus, experts claim the emergency “preparedness activity” can help us deal with an incoming asteroid.
Tackling the coronavirus pandemic has shown nations how to deal with a global emergency, from implementing strict lockdowns to cooperating with other states to a certain extent.
Understanding things that have gone right and wrong in the battle with Covid-19 has taught us valuable lessons, according to asteroid scientists and an authority on emergency preparedness, reports Space.com.
Thomas Jones, a scientist, author and retired NASA astronaut who also chairs the Association of Space Explorers’ Near Earth Objects Committee said: “Speaking for myself, the novel coronavirus is a good case study of mistakes to avoid when planning to prevent an asteroid impact.”
Originally published at Daily Star