NASA Confirms Safe Flyby of Tower-Sized Asteroid
NASA has recently confirmed that a large asteroid, identified as 2008 OS7, will pass Earth at a safe distance on Friday. This asteroid, measuring approximately 370 feet in height and traveling at a speed of 33,673 kilometers per hour, has been classified as "potentially hazardous" due to its size and proximity.
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Key Details:
Asteroid Size and Speed: 2008 OS7 is about 370 feet tall, comparable to the height of a 37-story building, and is moving at a speed of 33,673 kilometers per hour.
Safe Distance: Despite its classification, the asteroid will not collide with Earth. It will pass at a distance of 1,770,000 miles (2.84 million kilometers), which is a safe margin.
Potentially Hazardous Asteroids: NASA designates asteroids as potentially hazardous if they are over 460 feet (140 meters) in size and come within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometers) of Earth's orbit.
NASA continues to monitor near-Earth objects (NEOs) to assess any potential threats they may pose. The space agency's Planetary Defense Coordination Office keeps track of such asteroids to ensure that any real danger can be identified and mitigated in a timely manner.
The monitoring of 2008 OS7 highlights the ongoing efforts to track and study near-Earth objects, providing reassurance that despite their potential hazard, current technology allows us to predict and prepare for their movements.
