Asteroid alert! NASA says a 99-feet wide asteroid is moving towards Earth

A warning has been issued by NASA stating an asteroid called 2023 CG1 is currently heading towards the earth and will pass by our planet on February 25. NASA estimates that the asteroid is 99 feet wide. The asteroid will pass by earth at a distance of 5.8 million kms. It is moving towards earth at a speed of 23331 kms per hour. The asteroid belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids. 

The Apollo group of asteroids is a class of near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that have orbits which cross the Earth's orbit. They are named after the first asteroid of this group to be discovered, 1862 Apollo. The Apollo asteroids are considered potentially hazardous because of their close proximity to Earth and their potential for colliding with our planet. The Apollo asteroids are believed to be remnants from the early Solar System and are thought to be composed of stony or metallic materials.

The orbits of these asteroids are influenced by the gravitational pull of the planets, particularly Jupiter, and as a result, their orbits can be altered over time. Observing and studying the Apollo asteroids is important for understanding the history and composition of the Solar System and for developing strategies for mitigating potential impact risks.

How are asteroids formed? 

Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the Sun. They are remnants from the early Solar System and are believed to have formed around 4.6 billion years ago. The formation of asteroids is thought to have occurred in the protoplanetary disk, a flat and rotating disk of gas and dust that surrounded the young Sun. As the protoplanetary disk began to cool and contract, small particles of dust and rock started to clump together due to their mutual gravitational attraction. These small clumps then collided with each other and merged to form larger objects, called planetesimals.

Planetesimals continued to grow by colliding with each other, eventually forming larger bodies called protoplanets. However, in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the gravitational influence of Jupiter prevented a protoplanet from forming, and instead, many smaller planetesimals and asteroids remained. Some asteroids are thought to be remnants of protoplanets that were destroyed in collisions or disrupted by the gravitational influence of Jupiter. Others are believed to have formed from the remains of planetesimals that never grew large enough to become protoplanets.