It was the closest flyby of an asteroid in 111 years – next time it will approach in 157 years.
Asteroid 2019 AV2 has just made a close and absolutely safe approach to our planet, moving in space at a speed of almost 48,280.32 km / h.
First discovered less than a month ago, asteroid 2019 AV2 by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which yesterday released data on its size, speed and distance from our planet. NASA also released its calculations of the asteroid's orbital trajectory, showing that the space rock had approached Earth earlier.
According to NASA, the asteroid has a diameter of 149.96 m to 340.00 m. The space agency estimates that the asteroid is twice as large as the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
Asteroid 2019 AV2 was first detected on January 3 by the Haleakale Lands Approach Alert System (ATLAS-HKO). The space rock approached the Earth closer to 15:32. EST today at 13.0162 km / s.
Apollo-type PHA 2019 AV2. Diameter 170-380m. First observed at @fallingstarIfA on 3rd Jan. Close approach Feb 1st. Distance 0.045au.#SpotTheAsteroid@AsteroidDay @NEOShieldTeam @CloseApproaches @AsteroidTracker @QHYCCD @AstronomyFM # QHY42 pic.twitter.com/FXAbZp3rF6
– Northolt Branch Obs (@NBObservatories) January 29, 2019
The asteroid approached the Earth at a distance of 0.045 astronomical units (AU). Considering that one AU represents the average distance between the Earth and the Sun and is equivalent to approximately 149,599,300 kilometers.
This still qualifies space rock as a Near Earth Object (NEO). As previously, NEOs are known to orbit somewhere within 1.3 AU. from the sun. At the same time, the distance is 0.045 AU. translates into 17.49 lunar distances – or 17.49 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
'It is now known that 2019 AV2 does not pose a threat to Earth, at least for the next 100 years.'
