Large asteroid to fly by Earth on Dec 20, everything you need to know

NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) said that a large asteroid codenamed 216258 (2006 WH1) will very closely fly by Earth on December 20. According to reports, asteroid has a path that directly intersects with Earth's path. It was first discovered by La Sagra Observatory, Grana, Spain, in year 2006.

It is said that planetoid is moving towards Earth with a speed of 26,000 miles per hour and is said to be taller than Empire State Building in New York City and has a diameter of 1,772 feet. Owing to its massive size, asteroid has been classified under PHA category and contact with Earth will le to casualties measuring in millions and destruction of many cities. According to reports, asteroid will be a distance of 3.6 million from planet. planetoid belongs to Apollos family of asteroids.

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Potentially hazardous asteroid

216258 (2006 WH1) is classified under PHA category. PHA stands for a potentially hazardous asteroid that is based on parametres that analyse an asteroid's threatening close fly by's to Earth. Any asteroid that has a minimum MOID(Minimum orbit intersection distance) of 0.05 or less and magnitude of 22.0 or less than that, come under PHA category.

In a similar incident, two big asteroids which are almost as big as Burj Khalifa zipped past Earth on September 15. According to Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (NEOS), two giant asteroids were 2000 QW7 and 2010 CO1. asteroid 2000 QW7 passed Earth from a distance of 3.3 million miles posing danger to planet. According to NASA, giant asteroid previously skimmed past Earth on September 1, 2000.

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'God of Chaos'

According to reports, an asteroid called 'God of Chaos' is expected to zip past Earth in 2029. X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk h pointed out on Twitter last month that asteroid will scrape off Earth. He h also stated that presently Earth has defence against gigantic asteroids to protect our planet.

Earlier in July this year, NASA h tracked an asteroid racing towards Earth and blasted it in , breaking it up into pieces in atmosphere before it could cause any catastrophe.

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(With inputs from ncies)