India News - LatestLY

Bhubaneswar, July 24: Amid reports that an asteroid of the size of four football fields is hurtling towards earth but will fly past, Dr Suvendu Pattnaik, Deputy Director of Pathani Samanta Planetarium here said that there is no need to panic as the same asteroid has flown past the planet earlier as well and at a much closer distance.

He said there is no chance of asteroid '2008 GO20' colliding with the earth and noted that it will again revisit Earth in 2034.

"This asteroid has visited earth at a much closer distance of 19 lakh km and 29 lakh km in 1935 and 1977 respectively.

"Scientists have now compiled a list of more than 23,628 large asteroids that move closer to earth and are monitoring their movements.