NASA Spots 2 Asteroids Flying Past Earth This Weekend

KEY POINTS

NASA spotted two asteroids approaching Earth
One of the asteroids will intersect Earth's orbit
Both asteroids will safely fly past Earth

NASA’s automated asteroid tracking system is currently monitoring two space rocks that are expected to approach Earth on Sunday. According to the data gathered by the agency, one of the approaching asteroids is about to intersect Earth’s orbit.

The two space rocks are currently being tracked through NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). According to CNEOS, the first asteroid that will fly past Earth this weekend is called 2016 DY30.

CNEOS estimated the asteroid to measure about 15 feet wide. It is currently traveling across space towards Earth at a speed of almost 34,000 miles per hour.

Trailing behind 2016 DY30 is a much larger asteroid known as 2020 ME3. As per CNEOS, this asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 131 feet. Although 2020 ME3 is bigger than 2016 DY30, it is moving at a much slower speed. CNEOS noted that 2020 ME3 is expected to fly past Earth with an average velocity of over 10,000 miles per hour.

According to NASA, 2016 DY30 follows an elongated orbit that extends beyond the trajectory of Mars. Occasionally, it crosses Earth’s path as it travels around the Sun. Due to its orbital axis and Earth-intersecting trajectory, 2016 DY30 was classified as an Apollo asteroid.

2020 ME3, on the other hand, does not cross Earth’s path. Instead, it only flies close to the planet from time to time. Like 2016 DY30, 2020 ME3 follows an orbit that extends beyond Mars’ path. It was labeled as an Amor asteroid due to its orbital characteristics.

According to CNEOS, 2016 DY30 is expected to cross Earth’s path on Sunday at 12:32 a.m. EDT. During this time, the asteroid will intersect the planet’s orbit from a safe distance of about 0.02306 astronomical units, which is equivalent to about 2.1 million miles away.

As for 2020 ME3, this asteroid will reach its closest distance to Earth on the same day at 5:21 p.m. EDT. Compared to 2016 DY30, 2020 ME3 will zip past Earth from a much farther distance. As it flies past the Earth, CNEOS estimated that 2020 ME3 would be about 0.03791 astronomical units or about 3.5 million miles from the planet’s center.