As if we don't have enough problems during the time of COVID, scientists and the news announced that our planet experienced a near miss from an Asteroid whizzing through Space on Wednesday.
In scientific terms, the near miss was 3.9 million miles (6.3 million kilometers) away. To give you some perspective, that is 16 times further than the moon. That may not seem close to you, but it really was too close for comfort.
The asteroid itself measured 1.5 miles (2 kilometers) wide. That is no small rock! While everyone was watching that giant rock as it approached our neighborhood, NASA databases registered five smaller asteroids that came closer to us. Not to worry they were only the size of a house.
Let me remind you what happened to the wicked witch of the East when Dorothy's house fell on her. The only one happy about that was her mean, green sister the wicked witch of the West and only because she wanted the Ruby Red slippers.
Seriously though, the last thing our planet needs right now is to be hit by a space object. If it hit a populated area, the destruction would be catastrophic at any time but it would be way worse now. People are sheltering in place, hospitals are at surge capacity and the food supply chain is strained all over the world. Imagine what that would do to a world that is trying hard to keep it together. Personally the near miss was a gift.
For those of you who are asteroid watchers like I am, here is a link for the Center of Near Earth Objects. I did not make up that name, it is part of NASA.
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