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Asteroid the size of the Pyramids of Giza will pass “close” to Earth at a speed of 18,000 miles per hour
- An asteroid is between 318 and 720 feet long and will pass close to Earth as it travels at a speed of 18,000 miles per hour
- GO20 is expected to approach 2.8 million kilometers from the planet, placing it under NASA’s “Apollo” near-Earth designation
- In comparison, the Moon is 238,855 miles away, while Mars is 236.5 million miles from Earth.
- Its orbit could change due to the planets’ gravitational pull, but that would not be a concern for this year.
Giant asteroid is expected to pass near Earth on Sunday at a speed of 18,000 miles per hour, NASA said
The asteroid, designated GO20, is between 318 and 720 feet long, making it roughly the size of the Taj Mahal and the Great Pyramid of Giza.
It will approach 2.8 million kilometers from Earth, which will place it under NASA’s near-Earth designation “Apollo”.
But it is still far enough away not to be of great concern.
By comparison, the moon is roughly 238,855 miles from Earth.
The asteroid will be much closer than our planetary neighbors – Venus is 125.9 million kilometers from Earth and Mars 236.5 million kilometers.
NASA graphic shows how asteroid GO20’s orbit will intersect Earth’s orbit path
Asteroid the size of the Taj Mahal or the Great Pyramids of Giza is expected to pass 2.8 million kilometers from Earth, landing squarely in the solar system
The asteroid could move closer over time due to the planets’ gravitational pull as it passes through the solar system, according to FOX News, although this is not a problem until GO20 passes Earth again. .
The asteroid’s orbit means that it intersects Earth’s orbit at regular intervals.
In 1901 it flew just over 800,000 miles from our planet, according to Live Science, and in 1935 it flew 1.15 million miles from Earth.
When it is due to return, in 2034, it will probably be 3.1 million kilometers from the planet.
NASA is monitoring asteroids to learn more about the early solar system and to make sure their orbits do not come close to Earth.
Asteroid Watch: the next five asteroids to approach Earth
- G020 – Approximately 400 feet wide, GO20 is expected to pass 2.8 million miles from Earth on July 25
- 2021 FROM – Approximately 170 feet wide, 2021 OF is expected to rise to 2.75 million miles from Earth on July 26
- 2020 BW12 – Approximately 67 feet wide, 2020 BW12 is expected to move to 3.98 million miles from Earth on July 27
- 2019 YM6 – Approximately 420 feet wide, the 2019 YM6 is expected to drop 4.27 million miles from Earth on July 31
- 2020 PN1 – Approximately 92 feet wide, 2020 PN1 is expected to rise to 2.29 million miles from Earth on August 3
Source: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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