The largest asteroid of the year skates on Earth

It is likely that the largest asteroid that scientists say will approach Earth this year will pass through our planet on Sunday afternoon. The celestial body named 2001 FO32 and a diameter of a few hundred meters is approaching Earth “soon,” even about two million kilometers, according to NASA. This is more than five times the distance from Earth to the Moon.

The mowing of the ground will not be visible to the naked eye. At the very least, it takes medium-sized telescopes and a star map to locate the correct spot in the sky. Southern Hemisphere watchers have an advantage. At 5:03 PM, the Space Rock is the closest to Earth.

There is no danger of hitting the ground. Not now, but not in the future either. “We know very well the orbit of 2001 FO32 around the sun; Paul Chodas of NASA said,“ We’ve been following it since it was discovered 20 years ago. “It is impossible for the asteroid to approach Earth more than two million kilometers.”

2001 FO32, which orbits the sun once every 810 days, will fly through Earth at a speed of about 124,000 kilometers per hour and will not approach again until 2052. NASA scientists want to seize the opportunity on Sunday to investigate the asteroid more closely.

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