NASA Unveils Details of 160-Foot Asteroid Approaching Earth

Were you aware that Earth was struck by an asteroid in the current year? Although it did not possess the destructive power to eradicate entire species like a previous celestial object did approximately 65 million years ago, this recent occurrence did make contact with the Earth’s surface. According to NASA, a meteorite transformed into a blazing fireball in the atmosphere on February 15 and subsequently crashed near McAllen, Texas. Numerous residents in the McAllen area contacted local law enforcement agencies to report a loud explosion. The rock, weighing 1000 pounds and measuring 2 feet in diameter, fragmented into pieces approximately 21 miles above the Earth’s surface.

In a separate development, NASA has released details of an asteroid expected to make its closest approach to Earth today.

Asteroid 2023 QZ1: Details of the close approach

Using its advanced ground and space telescopes, NASA has tracked the asteroid, whose orbit brings it very close to Earth today. According to the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the asteroid, named Asteroid 2023 QZ1, is heading towards Earth and may make its closest approach to the planet today, September 1st.

This Earth-like space rock is expected to make its closest approach to the planet at a distance of only 6.9 million kilometers and at a speed of 67069 kilometers per hour, which is much faster than Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and even the space shuttles!

It belongs to Apollo’s 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.

How big is the asteroid?

In terms of size, Asteroid 2023 QZ1 is nearly 160 feet across, making it almost the size of an airplane! Although this asteroid is nearly three times larger than the Chelyabinsk meteor, it is not large enough to be classified as a potentially hazardous object.

Different types of asteroids

You might think that asteroids are simply rocks floating in space, and while it may seem that way from their appearance, that’s not quite the case. These space rocks can be classified into three types based on their structural composition. The most commonly found asteroids are S-type asteroids, which are composed of carbon-rich material. On the other hand, S-type asteroids are mainly composed of silicate minerals and are less common. M-type asteroids are the least common and consist mainly of metal.