NASA confirms that Asteroid 2023 XZ11 will have a close encounter with Earth today; Find out the proximity of its approach

Scientists are studying asteroids to gain insights into the early solar system and the conditions during planet formation. Additionally, asteroids hold potential resources like water, metals, and minerals. This research is crucial as it provides valuable information about the early stages of the solar system and planetary development. Moreover, these celestial bodies may contain resources that can be utilized in future space missions. Recently, NASA has used its advanced telescopes to track an asteroid that will pass Earth on December 15, gathering data on its speed, distance, and other details.

Asteroid 2023 XZ11: Details

Dubbed Asteroid 2023 XZ11, the asteroid is orbiting Earth at a blistering speed of 52,929 kilometers per hour, which is even faster than an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)! NASA expects this space rock to fly past Earth at a distance of about 1.4 million kilometers.

Although this asteroid is passing close, it is not large enough to cause panic or potential damage. According to NASA, the asteroid is 100 feet wide, making it almost the size of an airplane. However, if it hits the ground, it can still cause some damage. In 2013, a smaller 59-foot asteroid exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia, damaging 7,000 buildings and injuring more than 1,000 people.

This space rock belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-passing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth’s. These asteroids are named after the huge 1862 Apollo asteroid discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.

NASA has also revealed that asteroid 2023 XZ11 has not passed by Earth before and this is its first close approach. After today, this Apollo group asteroid is not expected to pass by the planet anytime in the near future.