The evening sky can seem serene, but space has surprises in store. One of them is coming our way — not to collide, but to make a close encounter. While our Earth rotates under peaceful skies, a massive asteroid equal to the height of the Eiffel Tower is getting ready to fly by Earth. It's not a feature from a science fiction movie — it's happening this weekend.
Massive asteroid to pass by Earth on May 24
The asteroid, titled 387746 (2003 MH4), is gigantic. It is 335 metres in width, approximately 1,100 feet. That's almost the height of a 100-storey building. It will zip by Earth on 24 May at 4:07 PM IST (10:37 UTC). Although it won't strike us, it has raised an eyebrow among scientists.
This stone is from the Apollo family of asteroids. They have orbits that cut across Earth's path. 2003 MH4 is going at 30,060 kilometres per hour. That will get around the Earth nearly once per hour.
Its proximity and magnitude make it a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). PHAs are objects bigger than 140 metres and approach Earth within 7.5 million kilometres. 2003 MH4 will pass by at 6.67 million kilometres away — roughly 17 times the Moon's distance. That may sound a long way off, but in terms of space, it's close enough to be of concern.
The actual danger is in what might happen in the future
Though this asteroid will pass us by, its orbit is concerning. Apollo asteroids change direction over time. A small nudge would suffice to alter everything. These changes may be from gravity or even the sun. The Yarkovsky effect from sunlight can gradually deflect asteroids from their course.
If one of these rocks ever hit Earth, the destruction would be enormous. The released energy would compare to thousands of nuclear bombs. Cities might be levelled. Fires, quakes and tsunamis would follow. Dust would cover the sky, casting out sunlight. Scientists refer to this as an "impact winter", wherein food webs and climate are severely damaged.
NASA monitors near-Earth objects closely
Fortunately, this is not being taken lightly. NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is monitoring 2003 MH4 closely. They monitor thousands of asteroids to catch any potential threats.
This weekend's sighting is a warning, not a threat. Nevertheless, it proves the skies are not as clear as they appear. Our world is secure for the time being, but the universe has its own agenda.
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