Latest news with #PotentiallyHazardousAsteroid
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Asteroid with power of 1000 nuclear bombs is moving towards Earth: All you need to know
Image credits: X/@amritabhinder A colossal space rock about the length of three football fields and a diameter of approximately 335 metres will be moving close to Earth on May 24, 2025. Known as Asteroid 2003 MH4, the rock is moving through space at the speed of 14 kilometres per second. Its size and velocity have drawn concerns from the global scientific community with NASA's Center for Near-Earth-Object-Studies (CNEOS) and planetary defense teams tracking its trajectory. When will Asteroid 2003 MH4 come near Earth? The asteroid is set to pass at a distance of 6.68 million kilometres from Earth on May 24, 2025, at 10:37 UTC. It will be roughly 17 times closer to Earth than the moon and while this distance might seem far in everyday terms, astronomers consider such proximity significant especially for an object of this size. Should humans be scared? Asteroid 2003 MH4 has been classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). This category is reserved for space objects larger than 150 metres that come within 7.5 million kilometres of Earth. While this does not imply a collision it does require constant monitoring to see if the asteroid's movement changes in the slightest because of the gravitational interaction with planets or subtle Yarkovsky effect from solar radiation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo A hit from an asteroid this size could unleash energy equal to a thousand nuclear bombs, causing widespread tsunamis, and fires and triggering a global "impact winter" It also belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids known for their Earth-crossing orbits which can sometimes come too close to Earth. These asteroids are specifically hazardous because they have the ability to come close to Earth and sometimes even crash. Thus, while the chances of the asteroid hitting Earth seem pretty low, it highlights how important planetary defence initiatives are in monitoring and protecting the planet and its people.
India Today
23-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Asteroid with power of 1,000 nuclear bombs to come dangerously close to Earth
Asteroid 2003 MH4, a colossal space rock measuring approximately 335 meters in diameter—about the length of three football fields—will make a close approach to Earth on May 24, through space at a staggering 14 kilometers per second, this asteroid's size and velocity have drawn intense scrutiny from the global scientific community, even though there is no immediate threat to our Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) and planetary defense teams are vigilantly tracking 2003 MH4's trajectory. The asteroid is set to pass at a distance of 6.68 million kilometers from Earth—roughly 17 times closer than the distance between the Earth and the Moon. While this might seem vast in everyday terms, astronomers consider such proximity significant, especially for an object of this 2003 MH4 is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA), a designation reserved for space objects larger than 150 meters that come within 7.5 million kilometers of status does not imply an imminent collision but highlights the necessity for ongoing monitoring, as even slight changes in an asteroid's path—caused by gravitational interactions with planets or the subtle Yarkovsky effect from solar radiation—could alter its future asteroid's composition, density, and reflective properties are also under close examination, as these characteristics can influence its orbital behaviour and potential risk 2003 MH4 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids, known for their Earth-crossing orbits, which can sometimes bring them uncomfortably close to our emphasise that while the likelihood of an impact from 2003 MH4 remains extremely low, the flyby serves as a stark reminder of the importance of planetary defense initiatives.A direct hit from an asteroid of this size could unleash energy equivalent to thousands of nuclear bombs, causing widespread devastation, fires, tsunamis, and potentially triggering a global 'impact winter'.
