Rocky body approaches Earth in November and is bigger than Sugarloaf Mountain

With a high potential for destruction, the asteroid 2022 RM4 will have, on November 1, the shortest distance from Earth. They will be separated by 2.3 million kilometers. In astronomical terms, this distance is very short, although it poses no risk to us. Discover more about near-Earth asteroid which is almost twice the size of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Read more: Asteroids that could collide with Earth worry China

Proximity of the asteroid to the planet Earth

In September 2022, scientists located the space rock through the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope, which works at an astronomy base in Hawaii. He has since been named 2022 RM4. Check out more information about the phenomenon:

Will humans be able to see the phenomenon?

Yes. The asteroid's metallic structure has a characteristic glow, and the closer it is to Earth, the brighter the asteroid appears. Therefore, we will be able to observe it with amateur telescopes on November 1st. However, with the naked eye, unfortunately the experience will not be possible.

What are the dimensions of the asteroid?

Through observation and scale it is possible to measure the dimensions of the asteroid. From what has been observed, it has a diameter of 740m. For comparison purposes, it is observed that the cultural heritage Pão de Açúcar, in Rio de Janeiro, which has 391 meters of altitude is equivalent to the asteroid. Can you imagine?

Are there any risks involved with approaching the asteroid?

Well, if comparing the asteroid with Pão de Açúcar made you scared, there is no reason for that. Not in this case. Asteroids are rocky and metallic bodies generated as a result of the formation of the Solar System. Because of this, they have variable dimensions and an irregular shape. They are potentially dangerous due to the chance they could collide with Earth, causing disastrous consequences. However, scientists have already ruled out the possibility of this space object being launched to our planet.