NASA Tracker: Asteroid To Zip Past Earth At Only 26,000 Miles Away

NASA’s automated asteroid tracking system has detected two asteroids that are expected to fly past Earth on Tuesday. According to the data collected by the agency, one of the incoming asteroids will approach Earth at a very close distance.

As indicated in the database of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the first asteroid that will approach Earth Tuesday has been identified as 2020 OY4. According to CNEOS, this asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 17 feet. It is currently flying toward Earth at a speed of almost 27,000 miles per hour.

The second asteroid that will fly past Earth Tuesday is called 2020 OR4. Compared to 2020 OY4, 2020 OR4 has a significantly bigger diameter. As noted by CNEOS, 2020 OR4 measures about 144 feet.

CNEOS estimated that the asteroid is currently flying across space toward Earth at a speed of over 51,000 miles per hour.

Both 2020 OY4 and 2020 OR4 were first observed earlier this month. According to NASA, both asteroids follow elongated orbits that extend beyond the trajectory of Mars. 2020 OR4 has a wider orbit than 2020 OY4. As indicated in 2020 OR4’s orbit diagram, the asteroid almost flies close to Jupiter as it completes its cycle around the Sun.

Occasionally, the two asteroids cross Earth’s orbit as they travel around space. Due to their orbital axes and Earth-crossing natural orbit, both asteroids have been classified as members of the Apollo family of space rocks.

According to CNEOS, 2020 OY4 is expected to approach Earth at a very close distance. 2020 OY4 will fly past Earth on July 28 at 12:32 a.m. EDT. During this time, the asteroid will only be about 0.00028 astronomical units or roughly 26,000 miles away from the planet’s center.

From this distance, the asteroid could easily hit Earth if its trajectory slightly changes. But, due to its small size, the asteroid will most likely burn up and break apart in the atmosphere.

As for 2020 OR4, this asteroid will zip past Earth on July 28 at 3:55 p.m. EDT at a distance of 0.00306 astronomical units or about 284,000 miles away.