A small asteroid has even approached Earth from SpaceX Starlink satellites

An asteroid set a new sign Friday for the closest passage from our planet without actually impacting.

Space rock was discovered with the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, operated by NASA and the University of Hawaii. It was designated 2020 VT4 and arrived just 240 miles (386 kilometers) from the Earth’s surface on Friday. It is even closer than objects in low earth orbit, including the International Space Station and SpaceX Starlink Broadband Constellation.

Although this is much closer than the record set in August when asteroid 2020 HQ has flown away at a distance of 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers), it is not unusual for asteroids to rise that much in our planetary grid.

Lots of space dust fragments and larger rocks come down to the ground in the form of meteorites. One of the biggest ones in memory caused a stir when it was collided with the atmosphere over Russia in 2013. That hasn’t been seen by astronomers beforehand, but LA 2018 was spotted just before it hit us five years later. It is thought that pieces of that asteroid hit the ground In Africa. There have even been incidents of asteroids “bouncing off the atmosphere” and heading back into deep space.

It’s not like we’re suddenly attacked by asteroids. Rather, improvements in technology and observations have allowed astronomers to spot smaller and smaller asteroids that are getting closer and closer to our planet.

However, it is a bit unnerving to have direct evidence of space rocks whipping at us within a few miles of the altitude at which the International Space Station orbits, and just like a new crew does. traveling inside a sparkling crew dragon spaceship.

So keep an eye on the skies or everything around you if you happen to be already in space.