Earth is about to get several close calls with massive asteroids this month. The biggest asteroid from the group that will zip past Earth is larger than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

According to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), a total of seven asteroids will approach Earth before June ends. The first asteroid will arrive on June 23 at 1:27 am ST. Dubbed as 2019 LM1, this near-Earth object measures 141 feet long and has a velocity of 19,500 miles per hour.

During its approach, 2019 LM1 is expected to be within 0.02505 astronomical units or around 2.3 million miles from the Earth’s core.

Closely trailing behind 2019 LM1 is the asteroid 2019 LC5. CNEOS estimated that this asteroid has a diameter of 232 feet and is moving at a speed of almost 25,000 miles per hour.

According to the agency’s data, 2019 LC5 will make its debut on June 23 at 9:18 pm. During this time, it will be travelling about 0.03477 astronomical units or 3.2 million miles away from Earth.

On June 24, one of the biggest asteroids from the group will visit Earth’s neighborhood at 4:59 pm ST. Known as 441987 (2010 NY65), this space rock has a massive diameter of 984 feet. The asteroid is currently travelling at a speed of 28,200 miles per hour.

According to NASA, the asteroid is expected to be about 0.01961 astronomical units or only 1.8 million miles away from the planet during its approach.

The largest asteroid that will fly by Earth this week is 2008 KV2. It has an estimated diameter of around 1,100 feet and has a speed of 25,400 miles per hour. This asteroid will approach Earth on June 27 at 10:01 pm ST from a distance of 0.04548 astronomical units or about 4.2 million miles away.

Trailing behind 2008 KV2 is a smaller asteroid known as 2016 NN15. This asteroid has a diameter of only 85 feet and is flying at a speed of 18,700 miles per hour.

2016 NN15 is scheduled to approach Earth on June 28 at 3:31 pm ST. During its approach, it will be 0.02470 astronomical units or 2.3 million miles away from the planet.

The last two asteroids that will fly past Earth will arrive on June 29. The first asteroid, named as 2019 LR4, will arrive 5:51 am ST. It is currently moving at a speed of 18,500 miles per hour and has a diameter of 170 feet. It will approach Earth by a distance of 0.02884 astronomical units or 2.7 million miles.

The second asteroid, dubbed as 2019 LV1, will zip past the planet on 10:31 pm ST. Out of the seven asteroids that will approach Earth, this asteroid will fly closest to the planet. CNEOS noted that it will be within 0.01338 astronomical units or 1.2 million miles away from Earth during its approach.

It has a diameter of 148 feet and is moving at a speed of 14,000 miles per hour.

NASA Asteroid family Mars and Jupiter
This artist concept catastrophic collisions between asteroids located in the belt between Mars and Jupiter and how they have formed families of objects on similar orbits around the sun. NASA/JPL-Caltech
RELATED STORIES
NASA Asteroid Earth Space