NASA Tracker: 3 Asteroids Approaching, Flying By Earth On Monday

KEY POINTS

NASA detected three asteroids approaching Earth and will fly past the planet
One of the asteroids is bigger than the Statue of Liberty
All three asteroids follow Earth-crossing orbits

NASA has spotted a total of three near-Earth asteroids that will fly past the planet on Monday (May 18). According to the data collected by the agency, one of the approaching asteroids is almost as big as the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The incoming asteroids are currently being monitored by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). According to CNEOS, the first asteroid that will approach Earth tomorrow is called 2020 JE2. This asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 56 feet.

It is expected to approach the planet on May 18 at 2:19 p.m. EDT at an average speed of about 31,000 miles per hour. During this time, the asteroid will fly past Earth from a distance of 0.00564 astronomical units or about 524,000 miles away. This is equivalent to about twice the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

Trailing behind 2020 JE2 is a massive asteroid known as 2020 HG9. As the biggest asteroid in the group, 2020 HG9 measures about 394 feet wide, making it significantly bigger than the Statue of Liberty.

According to CNEOS, 2020 HG9 is currently flying across the Solar System towards Earth at a speed of about 24,000 miles per hour. 2020 HG9 is expected to approach Earth on May 18 at 3:18 p.m. EDT from a distance of about 0.03990 astronomical units or roughly 3.7 million miles away.

The third asteroid that will fly past Earth tomorrow is called 2020 KA. CNEOS estimated that this asteroid measures about 66 feet wide. It is currently traveling across space at an average velocity of almost 13,000 miles per hour.

CNEOS noted that 2020 KA is expected to zip past the planet on May 18 at 8:01 p.m. EDT. During its approach, the asteroid will be about 0.00512 astronomical units from the planet’s center, which is equivalent to around 476,000 miles away.

As noted by NASA, 2020 JE2 and 2020 KA follow wide orbits around the Sun. They are classified as Apollo asteroids.

2020 HG9, on the other hand, is an Aten asteroid that follows a narrow orbit within the Solar System. Although they have different classifications, all three asteroids have natural orbits that intersect Earth’s path.