Section 1.1: Discovery of 2023 EY

The existence of this asteroid was confirmed merely three days ago. On March 13, astronomers identified a small object on a trajectory toward Earth. Designated as 2023 EY, this asteroid is roughly the size of a house and is currently flying in proximity to our planet. The closest approach is estimated to be just 239,000 kilometers—substantially nearer than the Moon, which orbits at about 384,000 kilometers away. Thankfully, there is no threat of collision.

Section 1.2: No Collision Risk

Despite the close approach of 2023 EY, there's no cause for alarm. The asteroid poses no collision threat. Even in the unlikely event of a collision, the impact would be localized and minimal due to its relatively small size of 16 meters, comparable to the Chelyabinsk meteor that erupted over the Ural Mountains in 2013.

This meteor, measuring 17 to 20 meters in diameter upon atmospheric entry, fragmented as it approached the troposphere, generating a shockwave that damaged thousands of structures. Notably, the Chelyabinsk meteor was undetected prior to its appearance, primarily due to its small size and its approach from the direction of the Sun, which complicated early observation.

Section 2.1: Characteristics of Apollo NEOs

2023 EY is classified as an Apollo Near-Earth Object (NEO). Over 17,000 asteroids fall into this category, named after the Apollo asteroid discovered in the 1930s. Apollo NEOs have orbits that extend beyond Earth's while also crossing paths with the Sun, Venus, or even Mercury.

Section 2.2: Early Warning Systems

Detection of this asteroid was made possible by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System), an early warning initiative launched by NASA in 2015, operating under the University of Hawaii's Institute of Astronomy. Currently, ATLAS consists of four telescopes—two in Hawaii, one in South Africa, and one in Chile—scanning the entire sky every 24 hours. The observation of 2023 EY was conducted at the Sutherland Observing Station in South Africa.

The first video discusses a bus-sized asteroid approaching Earth, showcasing an orbit animation that highlights its close trajectory compared to the Moon.

The second video offers an in-depth look at the trajectory of the bus-sized asteroid as it makes its pass near Earth, illustrating its orbit in relation to our planet.

Section 2.3: Preparedness for Future Impacts

Thus far, ATLAS has identified around 700 asteroids, none of which have approached closely enough to pose a collision risk. Nevertheless, the possibility remains that an asteroid could be on a collision course with Earth. For instance, one has been projected to pass near our planet in 2046. The goal of ATLAS is to detect such threats as early as possible—ideally years or even decades ahead of time—allowing for the development of mitigation strategies such as the DART technology currently under testing.

Today, two other asteroids will also approach Earth at minimal distances: one, comparable in size to a bus, will come within 2 million kilometers, while another, the size of a skyscraper, will be 4 million kilometers away. For updated information on nearby asteroids, NASA's Asteroid Watch page is a valuable resource.

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