Next week, an astronomical object of considerable size will approach Earth as it flies by. Although the distance between us and this asteroid may be just slightly less than the distance to the Moon, there is no cause for concern. The asteroid, temporarily named (2021 CZ2), is predicted to pass by on January 16th at 23:30 Universal Time. The object, with a diameter ranging from 100 to 200 meters, will be moving at a speed of approximately 14 km/s.
The flyby of the asteroid will occur within a certain range of distance from Earth, with the closest point estimated to be around 370,000 kilometers. Despite the magnitude of this value, it is still a safe distance. The asteroid belongs to the Aten group of asteroids, which orbit around the Sun and most commonly have orbits inside that of Earth. This group is named after the asteroid (2062) Aten, and there are already over 2,600 similar bodies known worldwide. The object (2021 CZ2) completes one full orbit around the Sun in about 272 days.
FAQ:
What is an asteroid?
An asteroid is an astronomical object that orbits the Sun, having a shape similar to a planet but on a smaller scale.
What threat do asteroids pose to Earth?
Although asteroids often fly close to Earth, most of them are small in size and do not pose a direct threat. NASA calculates that a collision with Earth is not likely to occur within the next 100 years.
Sources:
PAP – Przegląd AP
tvnmeteo.pl – tvnmeteo
Main photo: stock.adobe.com
The source of the article is from the blog procarsrl.com.ar