Earthlings looking for something to distract them from the coronavirus now have a giant asteroid to think about.
While experts say there is no cause for alarm, the asteroid has been classified as a potentially hazardous object as it will fly near Earth's orbit. However, it is currently not included in the list of potential future events associated with impacts on Earth.
But its size has inspired many 'what if' scenarios.
The asteroid is named 52768 (1998 OR2). It will approach Earth on April 29 at 4:56 am ET, according to NASA's Center for the Study of Near-Earth Objects. It is estimated to be between 1.1 and 4.02 km wide and is expected to travel within 6 million kilometers of Earth, moving at a speed of almost 32,186.88 km / h.
'This is a large asteroid. But it definitely won't hit the Earth, 'said Louis Coban, an electronics specialist / administration at the Allegheny Observatory at the University of Pittsburgh.
For comparison, the meteorite that exploded over Chelyabinsk in February 2013 was a small asteroid, much smaller than the one that is due to fly by next month. However, he set off a shockwave that shattered glass and injured about 1,200 people.
Coban said that the chances of this new asteroid coming close to Earth are very small, which means that not only will we not feel it, but probably will not even be able to see it.
