New Delhi, India
In a thrilling close shave, being described as a “potentially hazardous” celestial event, a mountain-sized “planet killer” asteroid will whiz past the Earth on Thursday (June 27).
Named as 2011 UL21, the stellar rock, having a whopping width of 1.1 to 2.4 miles (1.7 to 3.8 km), will speed past our planet at approximately 58,000 mph (93,000 km/h).
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Should we worry? Scientists say the asteroid poses no threat
Despite its size and proximity, the asteroid will zip by at a distance of approximately 4.1 million miles (6.6 million km) from Earth, 17 times farther away than the moon- a safe vicinity that offers no threat to our planet, either now or in the foreseeable future, as per observations by the European Space Agency (ESA).
However, NASA classified it as a potentially hazardous object, highlighting the asteroid’s potential to cause continental-scale damage if it were to hit Earth, and the least likely prospects of it releasing debris into the atmosphere while passing by that could trigger climate changes.
Due to this capacity, the asteroid, which orbits the Sun once every three years, has earned the moniker of “planet killer”.
Larger than 99% of known near-Earth asteroids, this rock is smaller than the largest space rock (Vredefort asteroid) that hit the Earth's surface in past by 10 times, according to the ESA.
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How to catch the rare spectacle live
You can observe the closest approach of the 2011 UL21 asteroid through a free livestream by the Virtual Telescope Project (VTP), featuring views from the Bellatrix Astronomical Observatory in Ceccano, Italy.
The livestream begins at 4 PM ET (1:30 AM IST) on June 27, with the near skim expected approximately 15 minutes later.
Aiming to catch a glimpse of the enormous asteroid turned a speck of light zipping across the starry night, astronomers and space enthusiasts are gearing up across the world.
Through using suitable equipment such as strong telescopes, observers present in the Northern Hemisphere can also see the speeding space rock under optimal conditions.
However, the significance of the event extends beyond just a night-sky spectacle.
Offering insights into asteroid behaviour and enhancing planetary defense strategies, this encounter underscores the need for continued vigilance of asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth.
(With inputs from agencies)