An asteroid the size of a car circled the Earth (Video)
A car-sized asteroid discovered over the weekend orbited Earth, flying over our planet at a distance that rivals the orbits of some high-flying satellites. The discovered asteroid 2020 OY4 becomes the third largest asteroid this year, which flew close to Earth.
Asteroid 2020 OY4 was first detected on Sunday and approached Earth. According to the European Space Agency, he flew towards Earth at a speed of about 44,600 km / h. An asteroid just under 3 m wide does not pose a threat to the planet. However, it approached the flight path of geosynchronous satellites, which means that the asteroid flew pretty close to Earth.
Estimates from ESA's Center for Near-Earth Objects and NASA's Asteroid Watch differ in the exact distance of 2020 OY4.
NASA said the asteroid's closest approach to Earth is about 41,400 km and is outside the ring of geosynchronous satellites 35,786 km above the Earth's equator. The ESA Asteroid Tracking Center has established a range of about 35,170 km or directly inside the satellite orbit ring.
The NASA data video shows the locations of asteroid 2020 OY4 and Earth during a close flyby of the asteroid on July 28, 2020.
[video = "v67O1iJr00k"]
Asteroid 2020 OY4 was first detected on Sunday and approached Earth. According to the European Space Agency, he flew towards Earth at a speed of about 44,600 km / h. An asteroid just under 3 m wide does not pose a threat to the planet. However, it approached the flight path of geosynchronous satellites, which means that the asteroid flew pretty close to Earth.
Estimates from ESA's Center for Near-Earth Objects and NASA's Asteroid Watch differ in the exact distance of 2020 OY4.
NASA said the asteroid's closest approach to Earth is about 41,400 km and is outside the ring of geosynchronous satellites 35,786 km above the Earth's equator. The ESA Asteroid Tracking Center has established a range of about 35,170 km or directly inside the satellite orbit ring.
The NASA data video shows the locations of asteroid 2020 OY4 and Earth during a close flyby of the asteroid on July 28, 2020.
[video = "v67O1iJr00k"]
