Between September 6 and September 12, NASA’s Asteroid Watch dashboard reports that five asteroids will make close passes by Earth. While these asteroids vary in size, none of them pose a threat to our planet.
The largest of these asteroids, named JA5, is about the size of a house, measuring around 59 feet in diameter. It will come closest to Earth on September 6, passing at a distance of approximately 3.17 million miles.
On September 8, two asteroids will skim past Earth. One of them, QC5, has been likened in size to an airplane, with an estimated diameter of about 79 feet. The other, named GE, is roughly the size of a bus, measuring around 26 feet in diameter.
The second airplane-sized asteroid, QF6, is expected to pass Earth on September 10. It has a diameter of about 68 feet and will come closest to our planet at a distance of approximately 1.65 million miles.
The fifth asteroid, approximately the size of a bus with a diameter of about 25 feet, is scheduled to fly by Earth on September 12, at a distance of about 2,620,000 miles.
It’s important to note that NASA’s Asteroid Watch dashboard tracks asteroids and comets that make relatively close approaches to Earth. While these objects may come relatively close in astronomical terms, they are not considered a threat to our planet.
NASA continuously monitors and catalogs asteroids and comets in the vicinity of Earth, and it classifies them as Near Earth Objects (NEOs). While there are thousands of NEOs in our solar system, none of them are projected to pose a significant threat to Earth in the foreseeable future.
Asteroid Watch is a NASA initiative that monitors and tracks asteroids and comets with close approaches to Earth. This program provides valuable information to scientists and the public about these celestial objects, ensuring that any potential threats can be assessed and communicated effectively.
Asteroids are remnants from the formation of our solar system, dating back billions of years. As the solar system’s gas and dust cloud collapsed to form the Sun, some of this material coalesced into planets, while other remnants formed smaller bodies like asteroids. These asteroids now orbit the Sun, occasionally coming close to Earth as they follow their paths through space.
NASA’s diligent monitoring of Near Earth Objects (NEOs) involves cataloging and tracking thousands of these celestial bodies, with more than 850 asteroids larger than a kilometer wide identified. These efforts are crucial to understanding the risks and potential impacts of asteroids on our planet.
Fortunately, for the next century, there are no known NEOs that pose a significant threat to Earth. Nevertheless, continued tracking and research are essential to ensuring the safety and understanding of our solar system’s dynamics.
The recent close passes of these five asteroids serve as reminders of the dynamic nature of our solar system and the importance of ongoing monitoring and scientific exploration. While these asteroids won’t pose any danger to Earth, they provide scientists with valuable opportunities to study these ancient remnants and further our understanding of the cosmos.
