According to NASA, on September 1, 2020, asteroid 2011 ES4 will make a close approach towards Earth and will be closer to our planet than the moon. The asteroid was discovered in 2011 and it passes by Earth every nine years. Last time when it made a close approach, it was visible from our planet for four days. As per the scientists, the probability of asteroid 2011 ES4 hitting Earth is almost negligible.
This time the 20 metre wide asteroid 2011 ES4 will be closest to the planet than before and even if it gets on the impact trajectory, it will be destroyed in the atmosphere before touching the surface, thus making no impact. The asteroid 2011 ES4 will be travelling at a speed of 29,367 km per hour. It will be the closest to Earth for another decade as asteroid 2008 DB will be in a similar trajectory in 2032. According to NASA, asteroid 2011 ES4 is a NEO (Near-Earth Object), which will help scientists to study the history of our solar system.
Another celestial object, Asteroid 2018 VP1 was identified which is set to pass the Earth on November 1 but the chances of it making an impact were 0.41 per cent and because of its small shape, it will not cause any damage as the earth’s atmosphere will reduce it to ashes, before it hits the surface.
As per NASA, potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth. All asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.05 au or less and an absolute magnitude (H) of 22.0 or less are considered PHAs.