[ad_1]
One of the rocks is 290 to 650 m (950 to 2,100 feet), which means that it is classified as "medium" asteroids.
The other is a little smaller and is between 120 and 260 meters wide.
NASA is convinced that none of the asteroids will touch the Earth.
In a statement, Lindley Johnson, a NASA planetary defense officer, said, "These asteroids have been well observed – once since 2000 and the other since 2010 – and their orbits are very well known.
"These two asteroids pass about 14 lunar distances from the Earth, about 3.5 million kilometers, but small asteroids pass close to Earth at this distance."
The first asteroid, named 2010 CO1, will fly closer to Earth early Saturday morning.
This is the larger of the two asteroids, although NASA counts both as "medium" sized space rocks.
It will be followed by a second, dubbed 2000 QW7, which will be at its closest point to our planet Sunday at 05:04.
To be classified as big by NASA, an asteroid must be 0 km (1 km) in diameter.
It is at this point that its collision with the Earth should have global consequences, instead of being a regional problem.
READ MORE: Horror on asteroids – NASA Friday 13th fears huge space rock
Its last passage near the Earth took place in September 2000, when it was first identified by scientists.
After the weekend, he will not make any other similar approach until 2038.
NASA tracks major asteroids near the Earth to check if they are likely to collide and cause damage.
However, authorities are sometimes caught unawares, especially by smaller rocks.
NASA recently admitted to having identified only one asteroid 2019 MB, a few hours before its crash on the Earth.
The collision occurred on June 29 as the asteroid was burning in the atmosphere over the Caribbean.
2019 MO was about 300,000 from Earth when it was identified by NASA.
It's further from our planet than the moon.
In a statement, NASA claimed that it was "about the equivalent of spotting an object the size of a gnat at a distance of 500 km".
The asteroid was detected by the ATLAS telescope located at the University of Hawaii.
In February 2013, an asteroid collapsed above Chelyabinsk in Russia, injuring 1,200 people and damaging at least 7,000 buildings.
The asteroid in question was about the same size as a six-story building.
[ad_2]
Source link