Six asteroids will pass near Earth tomorrow, NASA says

The 2020 US presidential election was really a wild ride, eh? Well, buckle up because it’s not over yet.

NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies reported that six pieces of space rock will pass through our planet tomorrow, January 20, when the United States celebrates Inauguration Day – the day the new president-elect is invested with powers of his office.

The agency says everything should be fine and these meteorites will pass safely. Yet, after 2020 and the history of that election, we can all be forgiven for wallowing in skepticism and despair that they couldn’t. We have earned it.

Friends in high places

Inauguration day marks the transition of power from one administration to the next – this year that means from the Trump administration to the Biden team. It also marks the occasion when four meteorites will perform a close flyby of Earth, hopefully missing us entirely.

According to NASA estimates, the closest one (asteroid 2021 BK1) will fly close to Earth at roughly the same distance that the Moon orbits. They should therefore be fairly harmless. The largest of them is about 93 meters in width, which is the height of the Statue of Liberty.

All in all, we should be fine and well missed by space rocks. Still, that’s close enough to be considered a “close-up” by NASA, and the agency will keep a close eye on asteroids and their trek. So let’s all hope for an uneventful opening day.

More information on these asteroids here (the six asteroids listed for 2021-Jan-20 in the table).