Christmas gift. A giant asteroid rushes to Earth at great speed: what is known

According to NASA classification, given the size of the asteroid, it is considered potentially dangerous for our planet.

The Daily Mail writes that soon a large space rock, nicknamed the unofficial “Christmas asteroid,” will approach Earth at close to space standards.

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On December 25, according to the Gregorian calendar, many people around the world celebrate Christmas. It got its unusually unofficial name, given that a massive “pre-Christmas” asteroid is expected to approach Earth on December 15.

An asteroid named 2015 RN35 is currently heading towards Earth, according to scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA). This asteroid is 140 meters in size and is considered potentially dangerous for our planet according to NASA classification.

Orbital data show that it is flying at a staggering 21,000km/h and will approach Earth at a distance of 680,000km this Thursday. Although by cosmic standards it is almost twice the distance from our planet to the moon, this is very close. If an asteroid of this size is closer than 7.5 million km from Earth, then it is already considered potentially dangerous.

At the same time, scientists from ESA argue that there is nothing to be afraid of and this space rock should fly near the Earth. Although the asteroid 2015 RN35 was discovered in 2015, it is of particular interest to astronomers because little is known about it. That’s why ESA turned to amateur astronomers to observe and even photograph this asteroid. Moreover, it will be possible to observe it until December 19 as it moves away from Earth.

Scientists are still not entirely sure what this space rock is made of, whether it is really about 140 meters or larger and whether it rotates on its axis. The orbit of the asteroid around the Sun is also not fully understood, but as mentioned above everything indicates that it poses no threat to Earth. At least for now.

While scientists have discovered nearly all major asteroids, most of the 2015 RN35-size asteroids still fly through space and are unknown to science. According to scientists, there may be several hundred thousand asteroids close to Earth, and if they do fall to Earth, it will cause significant destruction.

According to the statement made by NASA, on Wednesday, December 14, two more asteroids, much smaller in size, will approach Earth and move further away from our planet. The 26-meter asteroid 2022 XY will approach Earth at a distance of 4.3 million km, while the 22-meter asteroid 2021 XS4 will approach the Earth from a distance of 5.5 million km. These space rocks also pose no threat to us.

Focus We have already written about a simulator in which you can simulate the fall of an asteroid of different sizes and at different speeds on any city on our planet.

Moreover Focus He wrote about the most famous asteroids that represent the greatest danger to Earth.

As for other space stones, as I already wrote FocusA meteorite from Canada disproves the theory of the origin of the solar system, according to a new study.

Source: Focus

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