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Asteroid alert: 500-meter rock to pass by Earth in November

UKT2 / Pixabay

Asteroids regularly pass by our planet all year round, the sizes ranging from very small to massive. One massive asteroid in particular, is currently on its way to Earth, with NASA noting its arrival in November.

NASA has spotted one large asteroid, referred to as 2000 WO107, traveling towards Earth at an incredible speed of 90,252 kilometers per hour. WO107 measures 500 meters or 1,640 feet in diameter, making it a massive asteroid heading our way as well as getting classified as a Near-Earth Object. The agency revealed that the asteroid will be approaching Earth on November 29.

Fortunately, it does not pose a threat to Earth or show a chance of a collision as when it arrives by November, it will only get as close as 11 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. WO107 is also classified by NASA as an Aten-type of asteroid because it shares a similar orbit as our own planet. This asteroid also completes an orbit around our own Sun every 318 days. With this in mind, WO107 may also make approaches to our neighboring planets, Mars, Mercury, and Venus.

Scientists at NASA will take the opportunity to monitor the movements of WO107 and also studying its composition.

Recently, seven asteroids have been recorded to make an approach to our planet this week, but none of which will pose a threat or a chance of collision. As of now, four space rocks have already made an approach, all of them fairly small, with the biggest among them measuring up to 88 meters in diameter.

Tuesday, October 6, saw asteroids RV2 and RR2 pass by Earth. RV2 measures between 19 to 44 meters in diameter and traveled through space at a speed of 4.16 kilometers per second. RR2 measures between 21 to 47 meters in diameter and also traveled around the same speed at 4.08 kilometers per second.

By Wednesday, October 7, asteroid 2020 RK2 and 2019 SB6. RK2 measures up to 83 meters in diameter and was traveling through space at a speed of 6.68 kilometers per second, while SB6 will also pass by seven hours after RK2.

Thursday, October 8, asteroid 2020 SR6 and 2020 SX3 will be passing by Earth within hours of each other. SR6 measures between 20 to 44 meters in diameter while SX3 also measures 88 meters in diameter.

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