A large space rock, 1.1 km in diameter, flies towards the Earth at a speed of 13 km/s.
An asteroid called 7335 (1989 JA) is considered potentially hazardous to our planet due to its size and speed. Its diameter is approximately 1.1 km, which is comparable to the size of 10 football fields. It flies towards the Earth at a speed of 47,232 km/h or 13.12 km/s. On May 27, 2022, an asteroid will fly to our planet at the closest distance since its discovery in 1989. At this distance, it will not be from the Earth for at least another 200 years, according to EarthSky.
The large asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) is more commonly referred to simply as 7335. The numbers in brackets indicate that it was discovered in 1989. This asteroid was discovered by American astronomer Eleanor Helin on May 1, 1989.
It makes a complete revolution around the Sun in 2.35 years. This space rock belongs to a group of near-Earth asteroids called Apollos. It was to this group of asteroids that the space rock belonged, from which the meteorite that fell in Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013 was left.
Although this asteroid is considered dangerous, it should not harm our planet. Nevertheless, on May 27, it will fly to the closest distance to Earth since the discovery. During its closest approach to the planet, the asteroid will be at a distance of 4 million km from Earth. This is almost 10.5 times farther than the distance from the Earth to the Moon.
It will not be visible to the naked eye, but amateur astronomers with small telescopes will be able to see it, because the asteroid will be close enough in space terms. It is best to start observing its flight 2 nights before the expected approach to the Earth. It is on May 25 that asteroid 7335 will be much brighter than on other days.
The asteroid will be very bright against the background of stars. It will look like a slowly flying “star”. Although the word slow is not very appropriate here, because the speed of the space rock is 47,232 km / h or 13.12 km / s.
Photo: Location of asteroid 7335 on the evening of May 25, 2022 – map of the starry sky, which show exactly where asteroid 7335 will be located during its approach to Earth.
