NASA Asteroid Tracker: 4 NEOs Flying Past Earth This Week

KEY POINTS

NASA detected four asteroids that will zip past Earth this week
The biggest asteroid in the group measures over 800 feet wide
None of the asteroids are expected to collide with Earth, with the closest one approaching from a distance of around 2.5 million miles away

NASA’s system that monitors Earth-approaching asteroids has found four near-Earth objects that are expected to safely fly by Earth this week. According to the data collected by the agency, the biggest asteroid that will approach Earth is longer than the Golden Gate Bridge.

The asteroids are currently being tracked through NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). As noted by CNEOS, the first asteroid that will visit Earth’s vicinity this week is called 2020 OG1.

2020 OG1 has an estimated diameter of about 236 feet. CNEOS estimated that this asteroid is currently moving toward Earth at a speed of almost 26,000 miles per hour. 2020 OG1 is expected to fly past Earth on Wednesday at 1:09 a.m. EDT from a distance of 0.02660 astronomical units or about 2.5 million miles away.

Trailing behind 2020 OG1 is an asteroid known as 2020 ON. According to CNEOS, this asteroid measures about 361 feet and is traveling across space at a speed of nearly 39,000 miles per hour.

2020 ON will reach its closest distance to Earth on Wednesday at 9 a.m. EDT. During this time, the asteroid will be about 0.03490 astronomical units or about 3.2 million miles away.

On July 23, a massive asteroid will approach Earth. Known as 2020 ND, this space rock has an estimated diameter of 820 feet. Give its size, 2020 ND is longer than the Golden Gate Bridge, which spans about 745 feet.

According to CNEOS, 2020 ND will fly past Earth on Thursday at 6:13 a.m. EDT at a speed of 30,000 miles per hour. During its approach, the asteroid will be about 0.03723 astronomical units or roughly 3.7 million miles away.

The last asteroid that will enter Earth’s neighborhood this week is called 2020 NN. CNEOS noted that this asteroid measures around 256 feet wide. It is currently moving across space toward Earth at a speed of almost 23,000 miles per hour.

2020 NN is expected to safely zip past Earth on Saturday at 7:56 a.m. EDT from a distance of 0.04164 astronomical units, which is equivalent to about 3.9 million miles away.