Two giant asteroids set for close earth flyby, sparking interest among astronomers
13 April 2024 16:23
Monday, April 15, will be a day full of excitement for night sky enthusiasts. Two sizeable asteroids, along with three smaller objects, will make a close approach to Earth. What time should you be on the lookout?
Data from the Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) indicates that on Monday, April 15, we shall witness the flyby of two quite large asteroids near our planet. Astronomy experts assure the public that both space objects will pass by at a safe distance.
The first asteroid, known as 517681 (2015 DE198), and the second, numbered 439437 (2013 NK4), will have their close approaches within just an hour of each other. The first is scheduled for 2:08 PM, and the second for 2:50 PM, Greenwich Mean Time.
Two large and five smaller
The estimated sizes of these asteroids are quite significant. The first is estimated to be between 440 to 990 metres, while the second is about 460 metres in diameter, potentially reaching up to a kilometre. Such large objects are considerably rarer than the more commonly observed ones, which range from a few metres to several dozen metres across.
On the same day, April 15, three other significantly smaller asteroids, ranging from a few to several dozen metres in size, will probably also pass near our planet.
Astronomers have calculated that both larger asteroids will pass by Earth at a safe distance, eliminating any threat of collision. The asteroid numbered 517681 (2015 DE198) will miss us by a distance 18 times greater than that of the Moon away from us (0.05 astronomical units), travelling at a speed of about 50,000 kph relative to our planet. Meanwhile, asteroid 439437 (2013 NK4) will fly a little over 8 times the distance of the Moon away (0.02 astronomical units), with its estimated speed of around 59,000 kph.
The first object's existence has been known since 2015, thanks to the American observational program Pan-STARRS. The second object was discovered in 2013 through the Siding Spring Survey project at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia.
Both asteroids are categorized as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs). This group comprises bodies that come closer to Earth than 0.05 astronomical units (19.5 times the distance to the Moon) and are large enough that a collision could cause a regional-scale disaster (diameters larger than 140 metres).
