China News Service, Beijing, May 26 (Reporter Sun Zifa) In response to reports that a most potentially destructive asteroid is about to pass by the earth on the evening of the 27th Beijing time, the relevant experts of the Chinese Academy of Sciences responded that "don't be afraid, just passing by", And stressed that the asteroid will safely fly over the earth and will not pose any threat to humans.

  Li Mingtao, a researcher from the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in an interview on the 26th that at 22:26 on May 27th, Beijing time, a near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of 1.8 kilometers and a permanent number of 7335 (temporary number 1989 JA) will Flying safely from a distance of 4.02 million kilometers from the earth, it will not pose any threat to human beings.

The permanent number 7335 (temporary number 1989JA) asteroid will pass the Earth schematic diagram (image source spacereference).

Photo courtesy of Li Mingtao

  As for why the asteroid is called the most potentially destructive, Li Mingtao analyzed that the destructive power of the asteroid is proportional to its impact energy.

With a diameter of 1.8 kilometers, the asteroid is the largest of the near-Earth asteroids to fly past Earth this year.

If an asteroid with a diameter of one kilometer hits the earth, it will change the climate and environment of the earth, causing a global disaster and causing the extinction of some species.

However, the probability of such asteroids hitting the Earth is extremely low, occurring only once every few hundred thousand years to several million years.

Scientists are keeping a close eye on a near-Earth asteroid that could trigger a global catastrophe, and ordinary people need not worry too much.

  He said that according to the asteroid orbit forecast, the asteroid permanently numbered 7335 will not pose any threat to the earth in the next 200 years.

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