Asteroid 2020 FM6 to Pass Close to Earth Today
Asteroid 2020 FM6 to Pass Close to Earth Today - CityLife Asteroid 2020 FM6, named after the Apollo asteroid discovered in the 1930s, is expected to pass close to Earth on October 23, passing within 7.5 million kilometers. The asteroid, which is larger than 492 feet in diameter, is traveling at a speed of 57,099 kilometers per hour and is faster than a hypersonic ballistic missile. The next close approach will occur on April 27, 2063, when it will pass within 5.8 million kilometers of Earth. While this asteroid's approach is significant, it pales in comparison to the largest asteroid impact in Earth’s history.
Veröffentlicht : vor 2 Jahren durch Gabriel Botha in Science
According to NASA, an asteroid known as Asteroid 2020 FM6 is currently on its way and has the potential to come close to Earth today, October 23. Designated as a “Potentially Hazardous Object,” this asteroid meets the criteria of being larger than 492 feet in diameter and passing Earth within 7.5 million kilometers.
NASA’s Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), responsible for monitoring celestial objects and Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), spotted the asteroid. The space agency utilizes advanced technology to observe and monitor such asteroids and comets.
Asteroid 2020 FM6 is estimated to be approximately 500 feet wide and will pass by Earth at a distance of about 5.9 million kilometers. It is traveling at a speed of 57,099 kilometers per hour, which is faster than a hypersonic ballistic missile.
Belonging to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, this space rock has a semi-major axis larger than Earth’s. The Apollo group is named after the Apollo asteroid discovered in the 1930s by Karl Reinmuth.
Interestingly, Asteroid 2020 FM6 first passed by Earth on October 24, 1964, at a distance of approximately 973,070 kilometers. The next close approach will occur on April 27, 2063, when it will come within 5.8 million kilometers of Earth.
While this asteroid’s approach to Earth is a significant event, it pales in comparison to the largest asteroid impact in Earth’s history. The Vredefort crater near Johannesburg, South Africa, which is about 300 kilometers wide, resulted from an asteroid impact more than 2 billion years ago.
A recent study published in the Tectonophysics journal suggests the discovery of an even larger asteroid impact crater. Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) claim that the Deniliquin structure in New South Wales, Australia, is nearly 520 kilometers wide, surpassing the Vredefort crater.