New Delhi:
An asteroid which is named 2019 QY3 by the astronomers is moving alongside Earth hurtling through space at more than 20,900mph. NASA is expecting that the asteroid might hit our planet in the morning hours of Thursday i.e September 26. it is expected to approach Earth around 8.35am BST (7.35am UTC).
When this happens, NASA said the asteroid will zip by at speeds of around 9.38km per second or 20,982mph (33,768kph).
The 2019 QY3 asteroid is an Near-Earth Object or large space rock trapped within the confines of the inner solar system.
According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, the asteroid is also classified as an Apollo-type rock.NASA said: “As they orbit the Sun, Near-Earth Objects can occasionally approach close to Earth.
Also Read: Asteroid Alert: Two Space Rocks 2019 QY3, 2017 KP27 Approaching Earth TODAY, May Hit Us
“Note that a ‘close’ passage astronomically can be very far away in human terms: millions or even tens of millions of kilometres.
”Asteroid impact avoidance comprises a number of methods by which near-Earth objects (NEO) could be diverted, preventing destructive impact events.
A sufficiently large impact by an asteroid or other NEOs would cause, depending on its impact location, massive tsunamis, multiple firestorms and an impact winter caused by the sunlight-blocking effect of placing large quantities of pulverized rock dust, and other debris, into the stratosphere.
According to expert testimony in the United States Congress in 2013, NASA would require at least five years of preparation before a mission to intercept an asteroid could be launched.
