The US space agency, NASA has given a statement that the earth is going to witness the biggest Asteroid 2001 FO32 on 21st March 2021, at 16:03 UTC (9:03 PM IST). The key highlights of this asteroid are that firstly, it will be the largest asteroid that has ever come in the close proximity of earth. Secondly, the speed of this asteroid will be speedy as compared to the other asteroids that the earth will experience. As per NASA, it will travel at a speed of 77,000 miles per hour. And thirdly, this asteroid will be at a distance of 1.25 million miles which allow the astronomers to take a closer look and examine the surface of the asteroid.
Asteroid 2001 FO32 will be labelled as the “Potentially Hazardous Asteroid”. However, there will not cause any damage and constitute no risk. The astronauts of NASA will use Hawaii’s Mauna Kea Telescope to determine the infrared spectrum and movements of Asteroid FO32. As per the space agency, this asteroid was first discovered a long time ago. On 6th January 2021, this asteroid entered the Earth’s orbit.
However, at that time it was not that close to the Earth’s surroundings. The size of the asteroid is said to be around 3000 feet in diameter. The astronauts are excited as it will allow them to examine it. In a statement given by the Principal scientist of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lance Benner, ‘Though, we do not know much about Asteroid FO32, but as it will very close to the earth. It will be an incredible chance for us to learn and know more about it.’
In another statement given by NASA, they stated that Astronomers can compute the chemical fingerprints of the minerals on the Asteroid’s surface when the sunlight will hit its surface. According to them, when the sunlight strikes the surface of the asteroid, the mineral substance present in the rocky surface captivate wavelengths and reflects others too’.
Another highlight of Asteroid 2001, FO32 will be that the movement of the asteroid will take place in the southern skies and it will the radiant and luminous asteroid so far. People who are highly interested in taking a closer look at the asteroid can watch it using a medium-size telescope by adjusting the aperture to at a minimum to eight inches in the nights. However, they will still need to start charts to trace the exact location of the Asteroid 2001 FO32. Also, the space agency NASA, have assured that for over the next century, there will be many asteroids that will come and pass by earth, but none of them will create any damage or risk to our planet ‘Earth’. Stay tuned with us more the latest update.
