With “468910 (2014 KQ76)” – in addition to 15 other asteroids – 1 potentially dangerous asteroid reaches the closest point in its orbit today. An overview of the largest asteroids currently near Earth and potential dangers.
What asteroids are near Earth today?
Image: Adobe Stock / Matthew
NASA currently knows of more than 1.1 million asteroids. Thousands more of these generally irregularly shaped rock bodies are discovered each month. Particular attention is paid to so-called near-Earth asteroids, which do not move around the sun like most asteroid belt asteroids, but approach Earth’s orbit and can therefore also be dangerous for the planet. blue. This article gives you an overview of all the near-Earth asteroids passing the closest point in their orbit today.
On Monday, April 18, 2022, a total of 16 asteroids will reach their nearest station during the day, including 1 potentially more dangerous asteroid.
Largest near-Earth asteroids today
“450143 (1999 ED5)” With an estimated diameter of 309 to 692 meters, it is currently the largest near-Earth asteroid. “450143 (1999 ED5)” makes its closest approach to Earth at 4:39 a.m. today. The second largest near-Earth asteroid is “(TS92 2016)” and has an estimated diameter of 245 to 547 meters. “(SV8 2019)” today ranks 3rd among the largest near-Earth asteroids (202 m – 451 m).
This asteroid comes particularly close to Earth today
The closest thing to Earth today is the asteroid “(2022 exercise 4)”. It approaches our planet at 07:53 at a distance of up to 1.5 million km.
The asteroid that has come closest to us so far without impacting Earth was “(2020 HQ)”. On August 16, 2020, it flew past the Earth at a speed of around 44,000 km/h, just 3,000 km away. Coming from the direction of the sun, the experts did not see it coming: it was spotted only 6 hours after its overflight. It probably wouldn’t have caused much damage on Earth even if it had collided. Due to its small size, only 3 to 6 m in diameter, it is assumed that it would have burned up in the atmosphere if it had come close.
Potentially dangerous asteroids near Earth today
Potentially hazardous asteroids are asteroids that approach within 0.05 AU (about 7.5 million km) and have an absolute luminosity of 22 mag or less. They are therefore considered large enough (at least about 140 m in diameter) to cause considerable damage in the event of an impact. About 20% of near-Earth asteroids are classified as potentially hazardous.
Today there is 1 potentially dangerous asteroid near Earth: “468910 (2014 KQ76)”.
468910 (2014 KQ76)
First finding: 07/18/2002
Last observation: 20/05/2021
Absolute magnitude: 21.65 mag (low)
Estimated diameter: 124 m to 278 m
Distance: 14.7 million km
Speed: 50,719.25 km/h (14.09 km/s)
Time of shortest distance to land: 04/18/2022 at 9:59 p.m.
14 cruisers in Earth orbit near Earth
Asteroids that cross Earth’s orbit are also called orbital cruisers. Near-Earth type asteroids Apollo cross Earth’s orbit from outside, near-Earth type asteroids Aten cross Earth’s orbit from within. Today, a total of 14 cruisers in Earth orbit are approaching our planet.
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Near-Earth Apollo asteroids today: “450143 (1999 ED5)”, “468910 (2014 KQ76)”, “(2015 GZ5)”, “(2016 TS92)”, “(2016 WU2)”, “(2018) KS)”, “(2019 SV8)”, “(2020 BD11)”, “(2020 TQ6)”, “(2021 JV5)”, “(2022 FG2)”, “(2022 GJ4)”
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Near-Earth Asteroids of Aten Today: “(2008 EP)”, “(2021 US2)”
Amor and Atira type asteroids do not cross Earth’s orbit. While the hard to find Atira-Asteroids move completely inside Earth’s orbit, approaching type asteroids Cupid Earth’s orbit from outside.
- Amor near-Earth asteroids today: “(2016 EE158)”, “(2017 SL19)”
All near-Earth asteroids today at a glance
| Surname | distance | Cut | speed | Type | Meet close to the earth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (fiscal year 2022 4) | 1.5 million kilometers | 14 – 32 meters | 55986km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 07:53 |
| (2020 TQ6) | 5.1 million kilometers | 32 – 71 meters | 55376km/h | Apollo | April 18, 2022 at 5:30 a.m. |
| (2022FG2) | 11.3 million kilometers | 51 – 113 meters | 36407km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 02:38 |
| 468910 (2014 KQ76) | 14.7 million kilometers | 124 – 278 meters | 50719km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 9:59 p.m. |
| (2021 JV5) | 17.9 million kilometers | 25 – 57 meters | 21615km/h | Apollo | April 18, 2022 at 5:45 a.m. |
| (2021 US2) | 26 million kilometers | 48 – 108 meters | 74895km/h | Aten | 04/18/2022 at 05:47 |
| (2015 GZ5) | 27.5 million kilometers | 23 – 52 meters | 67972km/h | Apollo | April 18, 2022 at 9:06 p.m. |
| (2018KS) | 31.7 million kilometers | 7 – 16 meters | 19761km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 5:37 p.m. |
| (2020 BD11) | 37.9 million kilometers | 37 – 82 meters | 30498km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 00:47 |
| (2016 WU2) | 39.2 million kilometers | 9 – 20 meters | 48216km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 12:07 |
| (SV8 2019) | 40.7 million kilometers | 202 – 451 meters | 61406km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 12:08 |
| (2017 SL19) | 49.2 million kilometers | 80 – 179 meters | 9720km/h | Cupid | 04/18/2022 at 04:09 |
| (EP 2008) | 51.7 million kilometers | 38 – 86 meters | 52015km/h | Aten | 04/18/2022 at 9:23 p.m. |
| (2016 EE158) | 60.3 million kilometers | 44 – 99 meters | 44734km/h | Cupid | 04/18/2022 at 10:35 p.m. |
| (TS92 2016) | 67 million kilometers | 245 – 547 meters | 94960km/h | Apollo | April 18, 2022 at 3:40 p.m. |
| 450143 (1999 ED5) | 73.9 million kilometers | 309 – 692m | 33945km/h | Apollo | 04/18/2022 at 04:39 |
+++ Editorial note: This text was created automatically based on current NASA data. If you have any comments or questions, please contact zettel@news.de. +++
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