NASA Asteroid Tracker: 2 Earth-Intersecting NEOs Flying By On Monday

KEY POINTS

NASA detected two asteroids approaching Earth
Both asteroids follow Earth-crossing orbits
Airburst caused by asteroids could still be dangerous

NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is currently monitoring two asteroids that will fly past Earth on Monday (May 25). According to the data collected by the agency, the two approaching asteroids are going to intersect Earth’s orbit.

The first asteroid that will enter Earth’s vicinity tomorrow has been identified as 2020 KU2. As noted by CNEOS, this asteroid measures about 135 feet wide. It is currently traveling across space towards Earth at a speed of over 30,000 miles per hour.

Trailing behind 2020 KU2 is an asteroid known as 2020 KP3. According to CNEOS, this space rock is moving across the Solar System at an average velocity of 17,000 miles per hour. It has an estimated diameter of about 128 feet.

After analyzing the trajectories of these two asteroids, NASA classified 2020 KU2 and 2020 KP3 as members of the Apollo family of asteroids. As Apollo asteroids, 2020 KU2 and 2020 KP3 both follow wide orbits around the Sun.

As indicated in NASA’s diagrams, 2020 KU2 and 2020 KP3 follow orbits that extend beyond the path of Mars. Occasionally, these asteroids cross Earth’s path as the planet travels around the Sun.

Based on the size of these two asteroids, they probably won’t cause major impact events if they end up colliding with Earth. Since these asteroids are not big enough, they will most likely burn up in the atmosphere and explode in the sky.

Although the asteroids won’t hit the ground, this does not automatically make them harmless. As past incidents have shown, mid-air explosions caused by asteroids could be very powerful and destructive. The kinetic energy from their airbursts could be equivalent to that of several atomic bombs.

Fortunately, 2020 KU2 and 2020 KP3 are both not in danger of colliding Earth during their upcoming visit. Although they will intersect Earth’s orbit, they will do so from very safe distances from the planet.

According to CNEOS, 2020 KU2 will fly past Earth on May 25 at 7:47 a.m. EDT. During this time, the asteroid will be about 0.02439 astronomical units or roughly 2.3 million miles from the planet’s center.

2020 KP3, on the other hand, will approach Earth on May 25 at 8:08 a.m. EDT from a distance of about 0.00951 astronomical units or around 884,000 miles away.