NASA Asteroid Tracker: 3 NEOs Approaching Earth On Friday

KEY POINTS

NASA spotted three asteroids currently approaching Earth
One of the asteroids will approach Earth from a close distance
Two of the asteroids follow Earth-crossing natural orbits

NASA is currently monitoring three asteroids that are expected to fly past Earth on Friday (May 29). According to the data collected by the agency, one of the asteroids will approach Earth from a distance equivalent to that between the planet and the Moon.

The three approaching asteroids are currently being tracked by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). As indicated in CNEOS’ database, the first asteroid that will visit Earth’s neighborhood tomorrow is called 2020 KV1.

This asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 112 feet. It is currently traveling across space toward Earth at a speed of over 10,000 miles per hour.

According to CNEOS, 2020 KV1 will zip past Earth at 12:04 a.m. EDT. During its approach, the asteroid will be about 0.02584 astronomical units, which is equivalent to about 2.4 million miles away.

Closely following 2020 KV1 is an asteroid known as 2020 KC5. CNEOS estimated that this asteroid measures about 66 feet wide and is flying through the Solar System at an average velocity of over 20,000 miles per hour.

CNEOS noted that 2020 KC5 would reach its closest distance to Earth at 3:46 p.m. EDT. The asteroid is expected to approach the planet from 0.00248 astronomical units or 230,000 miles away, which is almost equivalent to the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

The last asteroid that will visit Earth’s neighborhood tomorrow is a space rock known as 2020 KO4. According to CNEOS, this asteroid has an estimated diameter of about 79 feet wide. It is expected to approach Earth at 6:05 p.m. EDT at an average velocity of over 24,000 miles per hour.

During its near-Earth flyby, 2020 KO4 will be about 0.00407 astronomical units from the planet’s center, which is equivalent to around 378,000 miles per hour.

According to NASA, 2020 KV1 is classified as an Amor asteroid due to its orbit between Earth and Mars. 2020 KC5 and 2020 KO4, on the other hand, are Apollo asteroids. As noted by NASA, these two asteroids follow a natural orbit that intersects Earth’s path as it travels around the Sun.