New Delhi: A large asteroid, classified as a “Potentially Hazardous Asteroid” by NASA, will pass by Earth on May 27. The asteroid, called 7335 (1989 JA) is categorised as an Apollo-Class Asteroid, a term used for an object whose orbit crosses that of Earth. It is also a Near-Earth Asteroid.
The Chelyabinsk asteroid which entered Earth’s atmosphere in 2013, shattering windows over six Russian cities, was also an Apollo-Class Asteroid.
The stony asteroid to pass by Earth on May 27 will not be visible to the naked eye. It has a diameter of 1.8 kilometres, and a rotation period of 12 hours, according to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies.
The closest approach of 7335 (1989 JA) to Earth will happen at 14:26 UTC (7:56 pm IST) on May 27. It will travel at a velocity of 13.116 kilometres per second. Though it is a Near-Earth Asteroid as well as “potentially hazardous”, 7735 (1989 JA) will safely pass by Earth.
The nominal close-approach distance between the asteroid and Earth will be 0.0269 astronomical units, or about 400,24,183 kilometres, according to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies. Though the asteroid cannot be seen with the unaided eye, people can locate it using amateur telescopes. This week, the asteroid will be coming closer to Earth than it will again in the next 200 years.
All About Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA)
Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) was discovered on May 1, 1989, by American astronomer Eleanor F. Helin at the Palomar Observatory in California. It orbits the Sun every 861 days or 2.36 years, and has come as close as 0.91 astronomical units to the Sun and reached as far as 2.63 astronomical units from Earth’s star. Also, the asteroid is larger than 99 per cent of asteroids, and is comparable in size to Mount Everest, according to spacereference.org.
Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) completes a rotation on its axis every 12,000 hours. The asteroid’s orbit is 0.02 astronomical units or 29,91,957 kilometres from Earth’s orbit at its closest point, which means there is a wide berth between 1989 JA and Earth at all times.
The last time asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) flew close to Earth was on May 1, 2015. The nominal distance between the asteroid and Earth was 0.40913 astronomical units or 61204976.84 kilometres.
Next, the asteroid will fly close to Earth on June 23, 2055, at a distance of 27,707,908 kilometres. Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) will also make a close approach to Earth in 2081, 2114, 2154, and 2187.
The asteroid’s orbit was determined by observations dating back to April 6, 1989. The Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS) does not consider Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) a viable target for human exploration.
How To Observe The Asteroid?
Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) has an absolute magnitude of 17.59. It is bright enough to be seen in a 6- to 8-inch diameter backyard telescope, or a larger telescope, according to EarthSky.
Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) appears to be a slow-moving star when viewed using a telescope. Though the asteroid will be moving at a high speed with respect to Earth, it will appear slow due to the distance. On May 25, 7335 (1989 JA) will appear slightly brighter compared to other days, and can be spotted at an observable elevation above the southern horizon.
After May 26, the asteroid will get too close to the horizon for those living in the Northern Hemisphere.