Stadium-sized asteroid approaching Earth

Newsweek reports that the Virtual Telescope Project (VTP) will broadcast live as asteroid 2019 LH5 passes close to Earth. Those interested can watch the event online. VTP is a service provided by the Bellatrix Astronomical Observatory in Ceccano, Italy.

Previously, on July 4, astronomer Gianluca Masi at VTP took a photo of asteroid 2019 LH5 using a telescope in Manciano, Italy. At that time, this asteroid was about 7.2 million km from Earth.

Asteroid 2019 LH5 will approach our planet this week. (Photo: Istock)

Asteroid 2019 LH5 was first discovered in 2019. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the asteroid is about the size of a stadium with a diameter of about 268 m.

Meanwhile, according to the database of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the diameter of this asteroid could range from 210 - 470 m.

CNEOS said that at the time of close approach to Earth, asteroid 2019 LH5 will move at a speed of about 77,900 km/h, about 20 times faster than a rifle bullet.

There are currently about 32,000 near-Earth objects, mostly small asteroids but also more than 100 comets on the list. 2019 LH5 and more than 2,300 others are classified as “potentially hazardous” based on their orbits and large sizes. These objects are expected to approach within 7.4 million kilometers of Earth and are estimated to be larger than 140 meters wide.

Scientists are still closely monitoring developments to detect objects moving around the Earth.

According to estimates, asteroid 2019 LH5 takes about 2 years to complete its orbit around the Sun. During some trips to the inner solar system, this asteroid will fly very close to Earth.

Astronomers estimate that the orbit of 2019 LH5 shows that this asteroid is unlikely to collide close to Earth. By 2192, 2019 LH5 will have at least 11 close approaches to Earth.

Kong Anh (Source: Newsweek)

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