NASA Asteroid Tracker: 3 NEOs Headed Towards Earth On Thursday

NASA has detected three asteroids that are currently headed for Earth. According to the agency’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the biggest asteroid from the group is larger than the Statue of Liberty.

The first asteroid that’s set to fly past Earth has been identified as 2019 QY3. As indicated in CNEOS’ database, this asteroid is currently moving at a speed of 18,700 miles per hour. It has an estimated diameter of about 217 feet.

2019 QY3 is expected to approach Earth on Sept. 26 at 3:35 am EDT. During this time, the asteroid will come at a distance of 0.03566 astronomical units or roughly 3.3 million miles away.

2019 QY3’s visit will be followed by the arrival of 2019 SP2. According to CNEOS, this asteroid is currently flying at a speed of almost 21,000 miles per hour and is about 325 feet wide, making it larger than the Big Ben clock tower in London.

2019 SP2 is expected to enter Earth’s neighborhood on Sept. 26 at 9:38 am EDT. CNEOS noted that the asteroid will be about 0.01455 astronomical units or around 1.4 million miles from the planet’s center during its approach.

The last asteroid that will approach Earth today is called 2017 KP27. This asteroid measures about 135 feet wide and is flying with a velocity of 10,500 miles per hour.

According to CNEOS, 2019 KP27 will fly past Earth on Sept. 26 at 3:36 pm EDT. During this time, the asteroid will be about 0.01084 astronomical units or 1 million miles from the planet’s center.

2019 QY3 and 2019 SP2 have been classified by CNEOS as Apollo asteroids. Like other Apollos, these two asteroids have very wide orbits around the Earth and the Sun. Occasionally, their orbits take intersect with that of Earth as the planet completes its cycle around the giant star.

2017 KP27, on the other hand, is an Aten asteroid. This means the asteroid’s orbit mainly takes it around the Sun. The asteroid intersects the orbit of Earth as it reaches its farthest point from the massive star.