The asteroid, known as 2008 DG5, stands out for its large size. Space agencies consider uncommon that an asteroid of these dimensions passes so close to our planet.
An asteroid of a comparable size seven soccer fields It will approach the Earth this Thursday, June 5. This space body is 2008 DG5, is larger than 97% of asteroids recorded so far. Although it is not common for an object of such dimensions to approach so much, it does not imply a threat to our planet.
According to Spacerference.org, the asteroid 2008 DG5 has a diameter that ranges between 310 and 690 meterswhich places it within 3% of the largest asteroids. To put it in perspective, in Manhattan that distance would be similar to the route between the Grand Central station and the One World Trade Center. This asteroid will pass at a distance of 3.49 million kilometers from the earth, approximately nine times the average separation between the moon and our planet, which is 384,400 kilometers.
Although the distance may seem considerable and not imply a direct riskthe European Space Agency points out that it is not common for an asteroid of this size to approach so much. Any object greater than 150 meters that approaches less than 7.4 million kilometers has the potential to cause regional damage in case of impact. For this reason, the POT Classify 2008 DG5 as a “potentially dangerous object.”
asteroid
2018 Marko Aliaksandr/Shuttersock
Who discovered the 2008 DG5 asteroid?
The 2008 DG5 asteroid belongs to the Apollo categorywhich means that his orbit intersects that of the earth. Complete a return around the sun every 514 days and was detected in 2008 by Catalina Sky Survey, located near Tucson, Arizona. This program is part of the object monitoring system close to the land that coordinates NASA. Your next approach is expected to occur in 2032.
Possible damage in case of impact of 2008 DG5
Although it currently does not represent a threat, A shock of an asteroid of the size of 2008 DG5 could cause significant damage at the regional level. Among the consequences would be expansive waves, fires and tsunamis generation.
To understand the magnitude of the impact, it can be compared to the “Tunguska event” of 1908, caused by an asteroid of just 40 meters that exploded about 10 kilometers high over Siberia. The explosion devastated approximately 80 million trees and produced a visible fireball from a great distance, according to NASA data.
What happened to asteroid 2024 YR4?
The 2024 YR4, an asteroid whose size ranges between 40 and 90 meters similar to the height of the statue of freedom was news at the beginning of this year when it was initially estimated that the earth could impact on December 22, 2032.
This object was discovered on December 27, 2024 through the early alert system atlas, located in Chile. At that time, it was estimated that the possible impact could affect a strip that covers from the Eastern Pacific, crossing northern South America, the Atlantic, Africa, the Arabic Sea and the south of Asia.
At one point, the study center of objects close to NASA’s land estimated a 3.1%impact probability, the highest ever recorded for an object of this size. However, on February 24, after new observations, they corrected the trajectory and reduced that possibility virtually zero.
Source: Ambito
