7 meter diameter : Small asteroid passed near the Earth
On Saturday, the earth witnessed the passage of a newly discovered small asteroid called 2021 NA with a diameter of 7 meters.
The asteroid traveled 0.17 lunar distances, or 65,820 kilometers, and was moving at 11.39 kilometers per second at 07:57 a.m. Saudi Arabia time (04:57 a.m. GMT), and was not on a collision course with the Earth.
Majed Abu Zahra, the head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, said that the asteroid (2021 NA) was discovered by the Pan Stars Observatory system in Hawaii on July 1st, just two days before it was due to close.
The asteroid belongs to the family of asteroids called Apollo, a group of rocks of between 5.3 and 12 meters in diameter. It is also on the NEO list and includes any asteroid whose orbit intersects with Earth’s orbit.
Abu Zahra added that if this asteroid were on a collision course with our planet, it would become a fireball as it crashed into the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which happens several times a year, and the finding of these small asteroids nearby is a major achievement, as they pass very quickly. Usually, there is a short window for a few days before or after the close approach, when this small asteroid is close to Earth to be bright enough.
Such opportunities, he said, are being used to learn more about asteroids, such as the nature of their formation. Such objects, like the time machine, are a remnant of our solar system, which holds many of the secrets of that era and can tell us more about the origin of our planet.
He noted that observing the movement of the asteroid is an excellent opportunity to test international capabilities to detect and track NEOs and to assess our ability to respond together to any real threat to any future asteroid.
The asteroid, known as No. 68, has passed near the Earth within one lunar distance, or 384,401 kilometers, since the beginning of the year earlier this month.
