The two asteroids will pass by the earth without affecting the earth

The two asteroids will "pass by" with the earth, potentially threatening scientists: will not affect the earth

　　From the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, from the end of April to the beginning of May, there will be two potential near-Earth asteroids "passing by" with the earth, but it will not have any impact on the earth, and the public need not worry.

Asteroid 52768 will be 6.28 million kilometers from the ground

　　The asteroid number 52768 was discovered by the NEAT project in Hawaii in 1998. After more than 20 years of tracking and monitoring, the orbit data of the asteroid 52768 has been quite accurate. Flying over the earth at 56 minutes, the speed is 8.69 kilometers per second, and the closest distance to the earth is 6.28 million kilometers, which is about 16.4 times the distance between the earth and the moon.

Zhao Haibin, Chief Scientist of the Near-Earth Astronomical Telescope Group at the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: The diameter of 52768 reaches about 2.5 kilometers, which is quite large. The purpose of its long-term monitoring is to discover some changes in its orbit itself. Asteroid 52768 is a potentially threatening asteroid, because it is not the only chance to fly over close distance with the earth, and there will be more in the future, so it needs long-term monitoring.

2020DM4 asteroid is about 7.05 million kilometers from the ground

　　In addition, a near-Earth asteroid 2020DM4 newly discovered by the near-Earth astronomical telescope at the Xuyi Astronomical Observatory at the Purple Mountain Observatory is also approaching the Earth. The 2020DM4 has a diameter of about 160 meters and a speed of 6300 meters per second. It is expected to fly around the earth at about 18:05 on May 1, 2020, Beijing time. At that time, the closest distance to the earth will be about 7.05 million kilometers.

Zhao Haibin, Chief Scientist of the Near-Earth Astronomical Telescope Group at the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: At present, the world has been monitoring it, but because this target is slowly flying over the southern hemisphere, Xuyi (observation) station has been closest to the earth in May. It can no longer be observed, but telescopes in the southern hemisphere will relay observations. Therefore, the monitoring of near-Earth asteroids is a global network relay observation, which requires multiple sites.