Asteroid 2016 AJ193, bigger than Dubai's Burj Khalifa, set to approach Earth tonight - Details inside

Asteroid 2016 AJ193, bigger than the size of Burj Khalifa in Dubai, is all set to fly past Earth today (August 21). Keeping the same in mind, US Space Agency NASA also listed asteroid 2016 AJ193 as 'potentially hazardous' on Friday. 

The asteroid will be traveling at a massive speed of 94,208 kilometers per hour. Astronomers will be able to witness the 1.4-kilometer-wide asteroid move past our planet in its orbit via a telescope. There is no potential reason to worry as the asteroid will pass Earth from a distance 9 times that of the Earth and the moon.

In comparison to asteroid 2016 AJ193, Dubai’s legendary skyscraper Burj Khalifa is 829.8 meters or 2,722 feet tall,  which is half a mile over. Astronomers have said that the asteroid is very dark and not reflective. 

According to a report in Earth Sky, "The closest approach to Earth will occur on August 21, 2021, at 11:10 a.m. ET or 8:40 pm IST (India time). This means amateur astronomers with 8-inch telescopes (or larger) have an opportunity to see this asteroid glide by early on August 21, just hours before sunrise."

August 21 i.e. today is especially important as it is the first time that the asteroid will be approaching so close to Earth, at least for the next 65 years, the longest time for which its course has been calculated.

For the unversed, this asteroid orbits around the Sun every 5.9 years and gets close to planet Earth, however, it later travels beyond planet Jupiter's orbit.