NASA Alert! 219-foot Asteroid Headed Towards Earth: Check Time, Speed And Distance

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A giant 219-foot asteroid, 2022 AA5, is approaching Earth on May 3 at an alarming speed.

NASA has issued an alert regarding a celestial visitor headed our way. Dubbed 2022 AA5, this giant asteroid belongs to the Apollo group and measures a massive 219 feet in diameter. While it's common for asteroids to zip through space, this one's caught the eye of scientists due to its size and speed. Scheduled for its closest approach on May 3, 2024, at 13:55 UTC, 2022 AA5 will be zooming by at an alarming speed of 32,544 kilometres per hour.

However, there's no need to panic just yet - despite its intimidating size and velocity, this asteroid will be passing at a safe distance of approximately 5.1 million kilometres from our planet.

Now, you might be wondering, why all the fuss about a space rock that's not even coming close? Well, it turns out that while most asteroids keep a safe distance from Earth, a select few fall into a category known as potentially hazardous asteroids. These are the ones that are large enough (over 460 feet or 140 metres) and have orbits that bring them within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometres) of Earth's orbit around the Sun.

To keep tabs on these potential threats, NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) constantly monitors all known near-Earth objects. They rely on data collected by observatories worldwide, including contributions from amateur stargazers. However, the bulk of the asteroid-tracking data comes from NASA-funded observatories like Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey, and NASA's NEOWISE mission.

In addition to ground-based observations, NASA also employs planetary radar projects like the Goldstone Solar System Radar Group to track these wandering rocks. By gathering information on their size, speed, and trajectory, scientists can better assess any potential impact risks they may pose.

So, while 2022 AA5 may not be on a collision course with Earth this time around, its passage serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping a watchful eye on the cosmos.