New Delhi:
An asteroid called 2019 RA is heading towards Earth at an astonishing speed of 3.5 miles per second, or 12,600 MPH, according to US space agency NASA. The asteroid is of a blue whale’s size and as per the NASA, it is predicted to pass the Earth at a “threatening distance” of just 44,000 miles away.
Recently, an asteroid shot towards our planet and exploded after hitting its atmosphere above the Caribbean. However, what was more concerning, was that even NASA did not know that the asteroid - known as 2019 MO - was heading towards the Earth.
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“When first spotted, 2019 MO was about 310,000 miles (500,000 kilometers) from Earth - farther out than the orbit of our Moon. This was roughly the equivalent of spotting something the size of a gnat from a distance of 310 miles (500 kilometres),” NASA had said.
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According to reports, a car-sized asteroid slams into the Earth's atmosphere about once in a year. On the other hand, an asteroid large enough to threaten the existence of life on Earth arrives once in every few million years.
Over 7 lakh asteroids have been found in the space. Out of 7 lakh asteroids, at least five asteroids will come dangerously close to the Earth this year. If these asteroids hit the Earth, humans will extinct.
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Meanwhile, five supermassive asteroids - Asteroid 2019 GT 3, Asteroid 2010 CO1, Asteroid 2000 QW7, Asteroid 2019 RC and Asteroid 1998 FF14 - will approach towards Earth this month.
