New Delhi:
Asteroid 1998 HL1, the biggest space rock, will dangerously approach Earth on October 25, 2019. With an estimated diameter of 3,248 feet and traveling at a velocity of 25,000 miles per hour, 1998 HL1 is certainly a dangerous asteroid and it will come close to Earth at around 10:50 pm (IST). It is to be noted that asteroid 1998 HL1 is classified as “Potentially Hazardous Asteroid” (PHA) by NASA.
If the supergiant asteroid hits Earth, it would create a crater that’s several miles wide. If 1998 HL1 strikes a city, the entire area will be wiped out. Whereas, if the asteroid hits the ocean, it will trigger mega-tsunamis that will destroy coastal and nearby inland areas.
Fortunately, the space rock will miss the Earth during its upcoming approach. Asteroid 1998 HL1 will fly past Earth and we all will remain safe. During the approach, the asteroid will be about 0.04155 astronomical units or almost 3.9 million miles from the planet’s centre. After its upcoming visit, the asteroid may return to Earth’s neighbourhood on October 15, 2026.
Asteroids, if hit Earth, can bring tsunamis, shock waves and flattening winds that could be catastrophic. The space rocks approach towards the Earth due to the gravitational forces that affect them. It is said that one day all life on the Earth will be extinct. Not only life, but the Earth will also extinct someday and an asteroid could be the possible reason. Shocked to hear that? However, a car-sized asteroid slams into the Earth's atmosphere about once in a year. On the other hand, an asteroid large enough to threaten the existence of life on Earth arrives once every few million.
