With “388945 (2008 TZ3)” and “(2017 VV)” – in addition to 12 other asteroids – 2 potentially dangerous asteroids reach the closest point in their orbit today. An overview of the currently largest asteroids near Earth and potential dangers.
Which asteroids are near Earth today?
Image: Adobe Stock / Matthieu
NASA is currently aware of over 1.1 million asteroids in the solar system. Thousands more are discovered every month. Special attention is paid to the so-called near-Earth asteroids, which do not move around the sun like most asteroids in the asteroid belt, but come close to the Earth’s orbit and can therefore also be dangerous to our home planet. This article gives you an overview of all the near-Earth asteroids that are today reaching the closest point in their orbit.
On Sunday, May 15th, 2022, a total of 14 asteroids will reach their closest station during the day, including 2 potentially dangerous asteroids.
The largest near-Earth asteroids today
“(2000 WM63)” is currently the largest with an estimated diameter of 236 to 527 meters Asteroid near earth. “(2000 WM63)” makes its closest approach to earth today at 12:59 p.m. The second largest near-Earth asteroid is “(2017 VV)” and has an estimated diameter of 218 to 488 meters. “388945 (2008 TZ3)” today ranks 3rd among the largest near-Earth asteroids (217 m – 485 m).
This asteroid is coming particularly close to Earth today
The closest thing to Earth today is the asteroid “(2012 UX68)”. It approaches our planet at 3.45 p.m. at a distance of up to 1.1 million km.
The asteroid that has come closest to us so far without impacting Earth was “(2020 QG)”. On August 16, 2020, it flew past Earth at a speed of around 44,000 km/h, just 3,000 km away. Coming from the direction of the sun, experts didn’t see it coming: it was only spotted 6 hours after its flyby. It would probably not have caused much damage on Earth even if it had collided. Because of its small size, only 3 to 6 m in diameter, it is assumed that it would have burned up in the atmosphere if it had come closer.
Potentially dangerous asteroids near Earth today
Potentially dangerous asteroids are those asteroids that are closer to Earth than 0.05 AU (approx. 7.5 million km) and have an absolute brightness of 22 mag or less. They are therefore considered large enough (at least around 140 m in diameter) to cause considerable damage in the event of a collision. About 20 percent of near-Earth asteroids are classified as potentially dangerous.
Today there are 2 potentially dangerous asteroids near Earth: “388945 (2008 TZ3)” and “(2017 VV)”.
388945 (2008 TZ3)
First observation: 06.10.2008
Last observation: 04/13/2022
Absolute magnitude: 20.44 mag (faint)
Estimated diameter: 217 m to 485 m
Distance: 5.7 Mio. km
Speed: 29578.59 km/h (8.22 km/s)
Time of the shortest distance to earth: on May 15, 2022 at 9:18 p.m
(2017 VV)
First observation: 03/06/2017
Last observation: 04/13/2022
Absolute magnitude: 20.43 mag (faint)
Estimated diameter: 218 m to 488 m
Distance: 9.3 Mio. km
Speed: 65779.59 km/h (18.27 km/s)
Time of the shortest distance to earth: on May 15, 2022 at 8:47 p.m
13 Earth orbit cruisers near Earth
Asteroids that cross the orbit of the earth are also called orbit cruisers. Near-Earth type asteroids Apollo cross Earth’s orbit from outside, near-Earth type asteroids Aten cross the earth’s orbit from within. Today a total of 13 Earth orbit cruisers are approaching our planet.
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Apollo asteroids near Earth today: “388945 (2008 TZ3)”, “(2000 WM63)”, “(2002 KM3)”, “(2005 TC51)”, “(2009 JF1)”, “(2012 UX68)”, ” (2016 WB8)”, “(2017 VV)”, “(2020 HN2)”, “(2021 TE4)”, “(2021 WO3)”
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Near Earth Aten asteroids today: “(2016 TH94)”, “(2022 BV6)”
Amor and Atira type asteroids do not cross Earth’s orbit. While the hard-to-discover shoot-Asteroids move completely within Earth’s orbit, approaching type asteroids Amor the earth’s orbit from the outside.
- near-Earth Amor asteroid today: “(2020 KD2)”
All near-Earth asteroids today at a glance
| Name | distance | size | speed | Typ | Appointment close to earth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (2012 UX68) | 1.1 million km | 40 – 90 m | 29503 km / h | Apollo | May 15, 2022 at 3:45 p.m |
| 388945 (2008 TZ3) | 5.7 million km | 217 – 485 m | 29579 km / h | Apollo | May 15, 2022 at 9:18 p.m |
| (2017 VV) | 9.3 million km | 218 – 488 m | 65780 km / h | Apollo | 05/15/2022 at 8:47 p.m |
| (2005 TC51) | 10.1 million km | 9 – 21 m | 36749 km / h | Apollo | 05/15/2022 at 10:13 am |
| (2021 WO3) | 17.9 million km | 44 – 97 m | 51477 km / h | Apollo | 05/15/2022 at 10:23 p.m |
| (2009 JF1) | 23.6 Mio. km | 8 – 17 m | 69611 km / h | Apollo | 05/15/2022 at 02:25 am |
| (2000 WM63) | 26.1 Mio. km | 236 – 527 m | 47292 km / h | Apollo | 05/15/2022 at 12:59 p.m |
| (2020 KD2) | 30.1 million km | 176 – 393 m | 52301 km / h | Amor | May 15, 2022 at 10:03 p.m |
| (2016 WB8) | 31.2 million km | 18 – 39 m | 50595 km / h | Apollo | 15.05.2022 at 10.10 a.m |
| (2021 TE4) | 49.7 million km | 11 – 24 m | 22623 km / h | Apollo | 05/15/2022 at 01:29 |
| (2002 KM3) | 56 million km | 92 – 206 m | 76134 km / h | Apollo | May 15, 2022 at 10:17 p.m |
| (2016 TH94) | 64.5 million km | 32 – 71 m | 71008 km / h | Aten | May 15, 2022 at 6:38 p.m |
| (2020 HN2) | 70.9 Mio. km | 18 – 41 m | 90189 km / h | Apollo | May 15, 2022 at 5:32 p.m |
| (2022 BV6) | 71.9 million km | 21 – 48 m | 30495 km / h | Aten | May 15, 2022 at 6:48 p.m |
+++ Editorial note: This text was created automatically based on current data from NASA. If you have any comments or questions, please contact [email protected]news.de. +++
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