On the morning of the upcoming day, asteroid 2006 HV5 will make its close approach to Earth, passing at roughly six times the lunar distance (2.2 million kilometers). With an estimated size of 320 meters, this celestial body moves at an impressive speed of 61,000 kilometers per hour. Notably, 2006 HV5 will be on the sunlit side of Earth during its flyby, making it challenging to observe due to the bright glare of the Sun. However, scientists have already thoroughly examined the asteroid, and we can confidently say it poses no threat to our planet. As one of over 31,000 known near-Earth objects (NEOs), 2006 HV5 is just the tip of the iceberg, with countless more yet to be discovered in the vast expanse of space.
An asteroid is considered an NEO if it comes within 48 million kilometers of Earth's orbit. NASA deems these objects "potentially hazardous" if they are closer than 7.4 million kilometers and have a diameter exceeding 140 meters. Presently, around 2,300 asteroids meet these criteria, and while none are expected to cause immediate harm, there's always the possibility that their orbits could be altered, leading to a potential collision with Earth. Thankfully, NASA's recent DART mission has demonstrated that humanity has the capability to deflect an asteroid's trajectory, providing hope for future asteroid encounters.
Source: ESA, mirror.co.uk
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