NASA estimates that the asteroid 2023 HO18, which has a diameter of around
28 sheep, will pass relatively close to Earth. Even with the close pass, it
won't strike us.
According to NASA's asteroid tracker, an asteroid around the size of 28
domestic sheep is scheduled to pass near to Earth on Sunday, June 4.
The asteroid in question has been given the designation 2023 HO18 by the
Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL), indicating that it was identified this year.
The asteroid, which has a rarity value of 1, will be traveling by Earth on
June 4 at a closer distance than usual, but neither it nor the other two
asteroids are in risk of colliding with the planet. This time, there will be
no deception.
Awful news? What size is the asteroid that will strike Earth in 2023?
According to NASA, the diameter of asteroid 2023 HO18 might be up to 50
meters. For American readers, that translates to 164 feet or slightly under
55 yards in imperial measures.
However, if you want to utilize a more inventive measure, think of the
common domestic sheep (Ovis aries). These creatures are common all
throughout the world, and while having several breeds, they all belong to
the same species.
The average head and body length of domestic sheep can reach 1.8 meters,
according to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web. This
indicates that the diameter of asteroid 2023 HO18 is equivalent to a line of
about 28 domestic sheep being led by a particularly enthusiastic corgi or
German shepherd.
These two more asteroids are listed below with their unique
measurements.
The estimated diameter of asteroid 2023 JE5 is 59 meters. It is therefore
almost the same size as the Goodyear Blimp.
The estimated diameter of asteroid 2023 JR 2 is 63 meters. Its size is
about comparable to that of 31 standard Yamaha bikes.
Ramming velocity Does an asteroid have a chance of striking Earth in
2023?
In 2023, will an asteroid strike Earth? Yes. What asteroid will it be
today—asteroid 2023 HO18 or one of the others? No.
Astroid 2023 CX1, which is the size of two Super Bowl trophies, struck the
Earth earlier this year, specifically in February, near Normandy in
France.
In addition, a few of smaller asteroids, or meteors, have previously struck
the Earth. One even occurred in Israel in April when a bomb went off in the
northeast of the nation. A Pembroke Welsh corgi-sized asteroid that had
struck Texas months before.
None of them resulted in any damage since when minor meteor and asteroid
collisions do occur, they often just result in a loud explosion.
Asteroid 2023 HO18, however, is big enough at 50 meters in diameter could
possibly do some damage, but nothing catastrophic.
That's fortunate given how quickly 2023 HO18 is approaching. It will pass
Earth at a distance of slightly over 466,000 kilometers, according to NASA.
Although closer than usual, the Moon, whose typical distance from the Earth
is 384,000 kilometers, is further away. Even so, it is closer than the James
Webb Space Telescope of NASA, which orbits at a distance of 1.5 million
kilometers.
Absolute peril: Can we prevent an asteroid impact?
Over the past several years, the topic of planetary defense has grown in
order for researchers at NASA and other institutions to discover strategies
for shielding the Earth from asteroids.
The NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission, which was
successfully tested by smashing into the distant asteroid Dimorphous and
changing its orbit, is the project that has received the greatest support
out of the several that have been proposed.
Therefore, there is no immediate threat of asteroids wiping out humanity.
You may now count sheep in peace while you sleep at night.
