{"id":133580,"date":"2024-12-05T11:56:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T04:56:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=133580"},"modified":"2024-12-05T11:56:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T04:56:54","slug":"asteroid-the-size-of-3-million-elephants-zooms-past-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=133580","title":{"rendered":"Asteroid the size of 3 million elephants zooms past Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p>Earth got a relatively close shave this morning (Dec. 4), as a sizable space rock zipped by just 1.4 million miles (2.2 million kilometers) away.<\/p>\n<p>The <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/51-asteroids-formation-discovery-and-exploration.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/51-asteroids-formation-discovery-and-exploration.html\">asteroid<\/a>, called 2020 XR, made its closest approach today at approximately 12:26 a.m. EST (0526 GMT), passing just under six times the distance between <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html\">Earth<\/a> and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html\">the moon<\/a>. The flyby came on the fourth anniversary of 2020 XR&#8217;s discovery,.<\/p>\n<p>Asteroid 2020 XR is somewhere between 1,000 and 2,300 feet (300 and 700 meters) wide, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/ESA_Multimedia\/Images\/2024\/12\/Close_approach_of_asteroid_2020_XR\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.esa.int\/ESA_Multimedia\/Images\/2024\/12\/Close_approach_of_asteroid_2020_XR\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\">according to<\/a> the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/22562-european-space-agency.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/22562-european-space-agency.html\">European Space Agency<\/a> (ESA). At roughly the size of a large stadium \u2014 or several million elephants, according to ChatGPT \u2014 2020 XR is more than capable of destroying one of our Earth cities, should the asteroid ever happen to tragically intersect with one. And, for a little while after the asteroid&#8217;s 2020 discovery, astronomers feared the space rock had a chance of doing just that.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:1416px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:71.26%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-320-80.png.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-1200-80.png.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a black canvas speckled heavily with white dots. a red arrow points to a tiny dot in the center.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-320-80.png 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-480-80.png 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-650-80.png 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-970-80.png 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-1024-80.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V-1200-80.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V.png\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xXnCEj6tZmsRo5WB5vWH3V.png\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Asteroid 2020 XR safely flew by Earth on Dec. 4, 2024, at 12:26 a.m. EST (0526 GMT). <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: The Virtual Telescope Project)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The near-Earth object (NEO) was discovered using the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www2.ifa.hawaii.edu\/research\/Pan-STARRS.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www2.ifa.hawaii.edu\/research\/Pan-STARRS.shtml\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\">Pan-STARRS 2 observatory<\/a> in Hawaii four years ago. The asteroid&#8217;s apparent orbit at the time indicated the possibility of an impact with Earth in 2028.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"hawk-nest\" data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\"\/>\n<p>However, reexamination of past observation data revealed previously undetected images of 2020 XR, allowing astronomers to more accurately calculate the asteroid&#8217;s trajectory and ultimately conclude a zero-percent chance of impact with Earth until at least the year 2120.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/51-asteroids-formation-discovery-and-exploration.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/51-asteroids-formation-discovery-and-exploration.html\"><strong>What are asteroids?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>NASA <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/asteroid-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/asteroid-watch\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\">classifies<\/a> any asteroids or comets in orbits within a similar distance from the sun as Earth as NEOs, and those larger than 460 feet (140 m) that also fly closer than 4.6 million miles (7.5 million km) of Earth are deemed potentially <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/planetary-defense-explained\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/planetary-defense-explained\">hazardous<\/a>. As of December 2024, NASA&#8217;s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/ssd.jpl.nasa.gov\/tools\/sbdb_query.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/ssd.jpl.nasa.gov\/tools\/sbdb_query.html\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\">tracking<\/a> more than 2,400 potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), including 2020 XR.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-cu7hHED2uCtD93ySxhDsSX\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-cu7hHED2uCtD93ySxhDsSX slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The next close pass by asteroid 2020 XR will occur in November 2028, albeit at a more comfortable distance than this year&#8217;s flyby. <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/ssd.jpl.nasa.gov\/tools\/sbdb_lookup.html#\/?sstr=2020%20XR&amp;view=VOPCR\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/ssd.jpl.nasa.gov\/tools\/sbdb_lookup.html#\/?sstr=2020%20XR&amp;view=VOPCR\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\">Four years from now<\/a>, 2020 XR will come within about 11.3 million miles (18.2 million km) of Earth \u2014 far more distant, thankfully, than astronomers&#8217; first 2028 predictions for the space rock.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/the-universe\/asteroids\/asteroid-the-size-of-3-million-elephants-zooms-past-earth\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Earth got a relatively close shave this morning (Dec. 4), as a sizable space rock zipped by just 1.4 million miles (2.2 million kilometers) away. The asteroid, called 2020 XR, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=133580\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8628],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=133580"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133580\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=133580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=133580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=133580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}