NASA Asteroid Tracker: Two Small Asteroids Get Very Close To Earth This Weekend

NASA is currently monitoring two asteroids that will closely approach Earth this weekend. According to the space agency’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), one of the asteroids is almost as big as the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy.

The first asteroid that will fly past Earth is called 2018 PN22. This asteroid is currently traveling at a speed of 5,100 miles per hour and has an estimated diameter of just about 62 feet.

CNEOS predicted that the asteroid will approach Earth on Aug. 17 at 3:18 pm EDT. 2018 PN22 is expected to be about 0.04386 astronomical units or around 4 million miles from the planet’s center during its flyby.

2018 PN22 has been classified by CNEOS as an Aten asteroid. Like asteroids with the same classification, 2018 PN22 orbits the Sun. It intersects with the orbit of Earth whenever it is near its farthest point from the giant star.

2018 PN22 was first observed on Aug. 9, 2018. As indicated in CNEOS’ database, the asteroid visits Earth’s neighborhood on almost a yearly basis. During next year’s visit, the asteroid is expected to be about 0.06131 astronomical units or roughly 5.7 million miles from Earth.

Trailing behind 2018 PN22 is an asteroid known as 2019 PK. According to CNEOS, this asteroid has a velocity of about 16,500 miles per hour and is around 167 feet long.

2019 PK is expected to enter Earth’s neighborhood on Aug. 18 at 1:14 am EDT. During its approach, the asteroid will only be about 0.02809 astronomical units or roughly 2.6 million miles from the planet’s center.

According to CNEOS, 2019 PK is an Apollo asteroid. Like other Apollos, 2019 PK has a very wide orbit that covers both the Sun and Earth. From time to time, the asteroid’s orbit intersects with that of the planet as it goes around the Sun.

2019 PK was first observed on Aug. 5. Not much is known regarding the asteroid’s trajectory and its only recorded approach will be the one on Aug. 18. Hopefully, CNEOS will be able to gather more information regarding the asteroid in order to create a projection of its future close-Earth approaches.