NASA Tracker: 5 NEOs Including 1,542-Foot ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Asteroid To Fly Past Earth

KEY POINTS

NASA detected 5 asteroids that are approaching Earth
The biggest asteroid in the group measures 1,542 feet
2009 XO is considered a "potentially hazardous" asteroid

NASA’s automated asteroid tracking system has detected a total of five asteroids that are expected to safely approach Earth on Thursday (May 7). One of the approaching space rocks is a skyscraper-sized asteroid that was labeled “potentially hazardous.”

Based on the data obtained by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the first asteroid that will fly past Earth on Thursday is known as 2009 XO. This asteroid is currently traveling across the Solar System at a speed of almost 29,000 miles per hour.

2009 XO has an estimated diameter of 1,542 feet, making it bigger than the Empire State Building in New York. Due to its massive size, it has been labeled “potentially hazardous,” which NASA defines as massive asteroids that are capable of flying close to Earth.

Fortunately, 2009 XO is not in danger of hitting Earth in its upcoming visit. According to CNEOS, the asteroid will fly past Earth at 7:18 a.m. EDT from a distance of 0.02268 astronomical units or about 2.1 million miles away.

2009 XO will not be the only asteroid to approach tomorrow. Trailing behind it is a space rock known as 2020 JE. CNEOS noted that this 115-meter-wide asteroid is moving towards Earth at a speed of over 27,000 miles per hour.

It will approach the planet at 10:07 a.m. EDT from a distance of 0.03015 astronomical units or about 2.8 million miles away.

Another asteroid that will approach Earth on Thursday is called 2020 JF. According to CNEOS, this asteroid has an estimated diameter of 121 feet. It is expected to fly past Earth at 10:13 a.m. at a speed of over 41,000 miles per hour.

During its approach, the asteroid will be about 0.01279 astronomical units or roughly 1.2 million miles from Earth’s center.

Closely following 2020 JF is an asteroid known as 2020 HM4. This space rock is currently traveling across space at a speed of 40,000 miles per hour. CNEOS estimated that it measures about 236 feet wide.

2020 HM4 will visit Earth’s vicinity at 11:07 a.m. EDT. During this time, it will be about 0.02740 astronomical units or 2.5 million miles from the planet.

The last asteroid that will fly past Earth on Thursday is called 2016 HP6. It measures about 171 feet wide and is moving at a speed of almost 13,000 miles per hour.

2016 HP6 will approach Earth at 4:49 p.m. EDT from a distance of 0.01112 astronomical units or around 1 million miles away.