A 120-Feet Airplane-Sized Asteroid Makes A Close Flyby Of Earth
NDTV
A plane-sized asteroid will safely pass by Earth today, offering scientists a chance to gather valuable data about near-Earth objects.
Officials at NASA confirmed today that a 120-foot asteroid, roughly the size of a small aeroplane, will make a close approach to Earth. But do not worry, as despite close proximity, the asteroid 2022 SW3 poses no threat. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory assured there was no cause for concern when it said that the asteroid "is going to come no closer than about 1.6 million miles."
It will pass within the distance of three times that of Earth to the Moon. Although close, the scientists are swift to say that it does not threaten Earth yet. This close encounter will be an opportunity for scientists to acquire much-needed data about near-earth objects (NEOs).
The scientists track the orbits of the known asteroids, including 2022 SW3, which periodically come close to the Earth orbit. These observations are very important for the purpose of prediction and assessing danger.
