ALERT! NASA warns of 2 huge asteroids heading towards Earth, but here's the twist
Why astronomers' are worried about the asteroid 2004 UE or the near-Earth object (NEO) is because it is of massive size.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed that a massive asteroid named 2004 UE is all set to pass our planet Earth on Saturday (November 20, 2021). NASA has said that the asteroid will be quite close to Earth, however, it will still be 2.6 million miles away, which is close to 11 times the distance between Earth and the Moon.
Why astronomers' are worried about the asteroid 2004 UE or the near-Earth object (NEO) is because it is of massive size. 2004 UE is 1000 feet in length and 460 feet in width.
Meanwhile, apart from 2004 UE, NASA has also warned of another asteroid heading towards Earth, labeling it "potentially hazardous". The asteroid is named 4660 Nereus, which is 330 meters long and is likely to make a close pass near Earth next month (December) at a speed of 6.58 kilometers-per-second at a distance of 2.4 million miles.
Do asteroids ever come close to Earth?
Near-Earth objects (NEO) is a common name for various kinds of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets. According to the US space agency NASA, an asteroid that is smaller in size can be caught passing between Earth and Moon several times a month. Meanwhile, meteoroids, small pieces of an asteroid, and comets, more often than not less than 3 feet in size, can hit the atmosphere of the Earth and explode in it. This phenomenon occurs almost every day.
Interestingly, NASA has kept a track of close to 1,000 asteroids that have passed close to Earth since 1968. What helps the space agency determine the details about an asteroid includes everything from space telescopes to radar.