Asteroid 2006 WB set for close Earth flyby this November
On Tuesday, 26 November, asteroid 2006 WB, with a diameter of 92 metres, will pass by Earth at 892,000 kilometres, roughly twice the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
26 November 2024 07:17
Asteroid 2006 WB, which is 92 metres in diameter, will approach Earth on Tuesday, 26 November 2024, at 892,000 kilometres. That distance is twice the distance between the Earth and the Moon. NASA reported this information, emphasising that the asteroid is moving at a speed of 15,100 kilometres per hour.
Asteroid 2006 WB is classified as a "near-Earth object" (NEO). Scientists categorise celestial bodies in this manner when their orbits come within 1.3 astronomical units of the Sun. An astronomical unit is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, about 150 million kilometres.
NASA observes asteroids
Tens of thousands of such objects are known, and they are discovered and tracked by specialised observational projects. The tracking is intended to determine whether a given object is dangerous to Earth.
Among the observed objects, potentially hazardous asteroids (PHA) are highlighted. These objects can come within 0.05 astronomical units of Earth and have a diameter greater than 140 metres. A potential collision with them could have negative consequences.
Low risk of collision
Scientists reassure that the probability of a large asteroid hitting Earth is extremely low. Nevertheless, NASA is monitoring the situation and provides information on approaching objects. From this, we know that four other asteroids will approach our planet in the coming days.
On Monday, two bus-sized objects, 2024 WF2 and 2024 WJ3, will fly past at distances of approximately 2.86 million kilometres and 4.48 million kilometres, respectively. Next, a plane-sized asteroid, 2009 WB105, will pass Earth at a distance of 5.79 million kilometres. On Tuesday, another bus-sized asteroid, 2024 WD3, will pass at a distance of 1.72 million kilometres from our planet.
