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 the Earth on December 20. According to reports, the asteroid has a path that directly intersects with Earth's path. It was first discovered by the La Sagra Observatory, Granada, Spain, in the year 2006.

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

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Potentially hazardous asteroid

216258 (2006 WH1) is classified under the 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 the PHA category.

In a similar incident, two big asteroids which are almost as big as the Burj Khalifa zipped past Earth on September 15. According to the Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (NEOS), the two giant asteroids were the 2000 QW7 and 2010 CO1. The asteroid 2000 QW7 passed Earth from a distance of 3.3 million miles posing no danger to the planet. According to NASA, the giant asteroid previously skimmed past Earth on September 1, 2000.

Read: Japan Spacecraft Releases Rover To Asteroid In Its Last Mission

'God of Chaos'

According to reports, an asteroid called 'God of Chaos' is expected to zip past Earth in 2029. SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk had pointed out on Twitter last month that the asteroid will scrape off Earth. He had also stated that presently Earth has no defence against gigantic asteroids to protect our planet.

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

Read: Dinosaur-killing Asteroid Started Wildfires, Triggered Tsunamis: Study

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(With inputs from agencies)