Asteroid with diameter of over 22 metres to pass by Earth on September 1

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) informed on August 28, 2020, that an asteroid with diameters between 22 and 49 meters will pass by Earth on September 1, 2020.

As per the space agency, the asteroid will shoot pass Earth in a distance which will be closer than Earth from Moon. The agency further informed that asteroid 2011 ES4’s close approach will be close only on an astronomical scale.

The asteroid 2011 ES4 which has been listed as a potentially hazardous asteroid was first discovered in the Spring of 2011. It passes by Earth every 9 years.

Is Asteroid 2011 ES4 dangerous?

In a tweet shared by NASA, the space agency mentioned that the close approach of the asteroid to the Earth will be close only on an astronomical scale. It poses no danger of actually hitting the Earth.

Will #asteroid 2011 ES4 hit Earth? 🌎 No! 2011 ES4’s close approach is “close” on an astronomical scale but poses no danger of actually hitting Earth. #PlanetaryDefense experts expect it to safely pass by at least 45,000 miles (792,000 football fields) away on Tuesday Sept. 1.

— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) August 28, 2020

Planetary Defence Experts have been expecting it to safely pass by at least 45,000 miles (7,92,000 football fields) away on September 1.

NASA has estimated the asteroid’s relative speed at around 8.16 km per second.

Closer to Earth than last time:

The last time that Asteroid 2011 ES4 flew by the Earth was visible from the ground for 4 days. This time, the asteroid will be closer to Earth than before with an estimated distance of 1.2 lakh km, closer than that of the Moon, which is 3.8 lakh km away from the planet.

According to NASA, a potentially hazardous asteroid has been currently defined based on the parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make the threatening close approaches to the Earth.