Asteroid 2008 OS7 will collide with Earth at its closest approach to Earth in 100 years today! :PPTVHD36

An asteroid the size of Baiyoke Tower 2 will pass its closest approach to Earth in more than 100 years on February 2, and NASA insists it is not dangerous.

Asteroid 2008 OS7, which has a diameter of about 271 meters or about the size of Baiuki 2, will pass Earth at a distance of about 2.85 million kilometers, its closest approach in more than 100 years, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) reported. February 2

Due to its size and proximity to Earth, this asteroid is classified as potentially dangerous at the level of a “city killer” if it hits Earth. It could wipe out a big city like New York.

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But do not worry. NASA confirmed that there is absolutely no chance of hitting Earth. Because this distance is 7 times the distance from Earth to the Moon.

Asteroid 2008 OS7 was discovered in 2008 after impacting closer to Earth this time. It will return again in 2032 and will be 72 million kilometers from Earth.

Those interested can watch the passage of this asteroid near Earth for themselves through a live broadcast from the Virtual Telescope Project, which will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern time (1 a.m. on February 3) according to Thailand time.

As it moves across the world, the asteroid will move at a speed of approximately 66 thousand kilometers per hour.

Although 2008 OS7 is not large enough to be called a “killer planet” or an asteroid that if it collides with Earth will cause the extinction of almost all life. It's like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, but NASA is still watching it closely.

Currently, NASA has identified approximately 25,000 asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth, most of which have a much lower risk of collision or impact near Earth than in 2008 OS7.

2008 OS7 has a widely elliptical orbit. This means that it does not revolve around the Sun in the same way that the Earth does, and as a result, its distance from Earth varies each time it passes. For example, when this asteroid approached us shortly after its discovery in 2008, it was approximately It is 90 million kilometers away from us, 30 times farther than the February 2 close.

Compiled from Live sciences