Asteroid to Come 'Extraordinarily Close' to Earth: NASA

Channel News Asua ^ | 26 Jan 2023

[nickcarraway]

A truck-sized asteroid will pass near Earth on Thursday (Jan 26) in one of the closest approaches to our planet ever recorded, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said, emphasising that it poses no danger.

Asteroid 2023 BU, which was recently discovered by an amateur astronomer, will zoom by the southern tip of South America at around 4.27pm PST (8.27am, Friday, Singapore time) on Thursday (Jan 26), according to NASA.

It will pass just 3,600km from Earth's surface, much closer than many geostationary satellites orbiting the planet.

[Rummyfan]

It will be interesting that’s for sure.

[Paul R.]

Boom!

[Steely Tom]

Curious what the formula is for atmospheric deterioration.

Here's a paper on the subject: METEOROID ABLATION MODELS.

I don't think there's any one formula because meteors are of widely varying compositions. Some are balls of rock, some are almost solid chunks of iron. Some have odd shapes with "protuberances," which break up into small pieces soon after contact with the atmosphere, and some are compact.

Also, the angle at which they enter the atmosphere plays a big role in how they behave.

[Gene Eric]

thanks, and good points regarding the varying properties! I suppose velocity is a factor as well

[SunkenCiv]

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