NASA has issued an alert for a possible asteroid flyby. The near-earth asteroid ‘asteroid 2011 MW1’ is approaching Earth at a speed of 28,946 km/h. It will pass within 2.4 million miles from Earth, which is a minimal distance in astronomical units. Despite its size and trajectory, NASA has said it poses no threat but is being closely monitored.
Asteroid 2011 MW1 is a massive 380-foot asteroid heading towards Earth at a speed of 28,946 km/h. The data from NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) suggests that the asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth on July 25, coming within approximately 2.4 million miles.
Asteroid 2011-MW1 is an Apollo-class asteroid. Being 380 feet large, it is the size of a skyscraper. Its impact could lead to human extinction, but for now, we are safe, as NASA has classified it as a near-earth asteroid (NEA) and not ‘a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA)’ based on its orbital distance from the Earth.
To date, NASA has tracked over 35,000 Near-Earth Objects and will continue to do so, as monitoring and classifying space rocks is essential to avoiding any possible catastrophic impact.
Keeping a watch on space rocks
NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is responsible for tracking the Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and classifying them based on their distance from the Earth. Space rocks that orbit within 120 miles of the Sun are classified as NEOs, as they pose a threat to Earth.
NASA has various observatories like Pan-Starrs, the Catalina Sky Survey, NASA’s NEOWISE mission, and the new NEO Surveyor that track the asteroids and collect important data about them. Other than this, planetary initiatives such as the Goldstone Solar System Radar Group work on tracking the space rocks.