Two asteroids, twice the size of the Taj Mahal and “potentially hazardous” is set to buzz past Earth on the day of Diwali. These asteroids are named Asteroid 2020 TB9 and Asteroid 2020 ST1. Nasa has described Asteroid 2020 ST1 as a “potentially hazardous” asteroid that will be zooming past Earth on November 14. Nasa’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies said Asteroid 2020 ST1, which has a size of 175 meters, will be zipping past Earth at an estimated speed of 28,646 km per hour.
“Specifically, all asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.05 au or less are considered PHAs.” The asteroid is also a ‘near-Earth Object’ (NEO), which allows NASA to study the history of the solar system. Asteroid 2020 VL1 and Asteroid 2019 VL5 will also be zooming past Earth on November 13 and 15, respectively. Asteroid 2020 VL1 is thrice the size of the distance between Earth and the moon.
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