NASA Detects 249-Foot Asteroid Flying Past Earth On Sunday

KEY POINTS

NASA detected a massive asteroid approaching Earth on Saturday
2020 JY follows an Earth-crossing natural orbit
Two other asteroid will fly past Earth this weekend

NASA has spotted an asteroid bigger than the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy that’s expected to fly past Earth on Saturday (May 16). According to the agency’s asteroid database, this massive near-Earth object is not the only space rock that will approach the planet this weekend.

The approaching asteroid has been identified by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) as 2020 JY. As noted by CNEOS, this asteroid measures about 249 feet wide, making it almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty.

This asteroid is currently moving across the Solar System towards Earth at an average speed of over 26,000 miles per hour.

According to NASA’s orbit projection of 2020 JY, this asteroid follows a wide trajectory around the Sun. Its orbit extends beyond that of Jupiter.

From time to time, 2020 JY intersects the orbit of Earth. Because of this, it has been classified as an Apollo asteroid.

According to CNEOS, 2020 JY is expected to intersect Earth’s path on May 16 at 11:03 a.m. EDT. As it crosses Earth orbit, the asteroid will be about 0.01617 astronomical units or roughly 1.5 million miles from the planet’s center.

As indicated in CNEOS’ database, 2020 JY will not be the only asteroid to approach Earth this weekend. Before this massive asteroid arrives, Earth’s vicinity will be visited by a smaller asteroid known as 2020 JN1.

This asteroid has an estimated diameter of 31 feet and is currently moving towards the planet at an average velocity of over 41,000 miles per hour.

CNEOS noted that 2020 JN1 would closely approach Earth on May 16 at 4:09 a.m. EDT. During this time, the asteroid will only be about 0.00294 astronomical units or around 273,000 miles from Earth. This is almost equivalent to the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

Then, on Sunday, an asteroid known as 2020 JL1 will fly past Earth. This asteroid, which measures about 43 feet wide, is moving across space at a speed of about 23,000 miles per hour.

According to CNEOS, this asteroid will zip past the planet on May 17 at 1:04 a.m. EDT from a distance of 0.01058 astronomical units or about 983,000 miles away.