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These are celestial bodies of the Apollo class, asteroids whose orbits cross that of Earth.
As the gigantic asteroid 52768 (1998 OR2) continues to approach Earth, NASA has warned that two other “potentially dangerous” asteroids will approach our planet next month.
The first is asteroid 438908 (2009 XO). Estimates based on the amount of light it reflects indicate that the space rock is about the size of a soccer field, and that it travels at a speed of 45,720 km / h.
The celestial body orbits the Sun every 926 days and belongs to the Apollo class (asteroids whose orbits cross that of Earth). Fortunately, the 2009 XO will pass at a distance of approximately 3.3 million kilometers from our planet on May 7, which is still considered “close” by NASA standards.
According to calculations by the Space Agency, the asteroid will make a dozen flybys close to Earth in the next 200 years and the closest will take place on May 7, 2096, when it will reach 1.5 million kilometers from our planet (in comparison, the Moon is 384,400 kilometers away.)
The 2009 XO will be followed two weeks later by the asteroid. 136795 (1997 BQ), which is approximately twice the size of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
This giant is also an Apollo-class asteroid and orbits the Sun every 844 days. Traveling at a relatively low speed of 42,048 km / h, is expected to approach Earth on May 21, at a distance of 6.2 million kilometers.
