NASA Tracking 2 Asteroids That Will Zip Past Earth Tomorrow

KEY POINTS

Two asteroids will approach Earth tomorrow
One of the incoming asteroids is almost as big as the Great Pyramid of Giza
2020 DD could cause an impact event on Earth during a collision

NASA is currently monitoring two asteroids that are expected to approach Earth tomorrow. One of the approaching asteroids is almost as big as a pyramid and could cause an impact event on Earth if it collides with the planet.

According to NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the first asteroid that will approach Earth tomorrow is known as 2020 BA10. This asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 157 feet and is currently traveling towards Earth at a speed of over 20,000 miles per hour.

The second asteroid that will visit Earth’s vicinity tomorrow is known as 2020 DD. This asteroid is traveling at a much faster speed compared to 2020 BA10. As indicated in CNEOS’ database, 2020 DD is cruising across the Solar System at an incredible speed of over 86,000 miles per hour.

CNEOS estimated that this asteroid has a diameter of about 394 feet, making it almost as big as the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

Both approaching asteroids are members of the Apollo family of space rocks. This means that they follow natural orbits that occasionally intersect Earth’s path.

If 2020 BA10 hits Earth during one of its flybys, it most likely won’t cause an impact event. Given its size and speed, the asteroid will most likely explode in the atmosphere.

2020 DD, on the other hand, could cause far more devastating effects than 2020 BA10 during a collision. Due to its size and speed, 2020 DD is capable of causing an impact event on Earth. If this asteroid hits the planet, it could create a crater that’s about a mile wide.

Upon impact, the asteroid’s explosion would generate energy that’s powerful enough to destroy structures within its immediate vicinity.

Fortunately, the two approaching asteroids are not in danger of hitting Earth on their upcoming visits. According to CNEOS, 2020 BA10 will zip past Earth on Feb. 18 at 9:06 a.m. EST from a distance of 0.03138 astronomical units, which is equivalent to 2.9 million miles.

2020 DD, on the other hand, will approach Earth on Feb. 18 at 2:10 p.m. EST. During this time, it will pass by Earth from a distance of 0.00636 astronomical units or around 600,000 miles away.