NASA Asteroid 2019: 5 Asteroids Skim Earth, Will Likely Explode Mid-Air This Weekend

NASA is currently monitoring five asteroids that are expected to approach Earth this weekend. Based on the sizes of the approaching asteroids, they will most likely explode mid-air if they end up hitting the planet.

According to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the first asteroid that’s set to fly past Earth is called 2019 TX. This asteroid is moving at a speed of about 16,000 miles per hour and is estimated to be around 36 feet wide.

CNEOS noted that this asteroid will zip past Earth on Oct. 4 at 7:37 pm EDT from a distance of 0.00320 astronomical units or just roughly 297,000 miles away -- closer than the Earth is to the moon.

Trailing behind 2019 TX is an asteroid known as 2019 TV. This asteroid is currently traveling at a speed of over 20,000 miles per hour. It has an estimated diameter of about 49 feet.

2019 TV is expected to approach Earth on Oct. 5 at 2:57 am EDT. During this time, the asteroid will be about 0.01057 astronomical units or roughly 983,000 miles away from the planet’s center.

Closely following 2019 TV is 2017 TJ4. According to CNEOS, this space rock is currently approaching Earth with a velocity of almost 20,000 miles per hour. The agency estimated that the asteroid is about 177 feet wide.

2017 TJ4 will fly past the planet on Oct. 5 at 7:46 am EDT. During its approach, the asteroid is expected to be about 0.3447 astronomical units or around 3.2 million miles from Earth.

The third asteroid that’s set to zoom past Earth this weekend has been identified as 2019 SZ4. This asteroid is traveling at an average speed of almost 15,000 miles per hour and has a diameter of around 138 feet.

According to CNEOS, 2019 SZ4 will approach Earth on Oct. 6 at 6:52 am EDT. It will be about 0.04790 astronomical units or around 4.5 million miles away from the planet’s center.

The last asteroid that will visit Earth’s neighborhood this weekend is called 2019 TH. As indicated in CNEOS’ database, this asteroid is currently approaching Earth at a speed of almost 25,000 miles per hour. It has an estimated diameter of around 144 feet.

CNEOS predicted that 2019 TH will approach the planet on Oct. 6 at 7:47 pm EDT. During this time, the asteroid will fly past the planet from a distance of about 0.03756 astronomical units or about 3.5 million miles away.