Asteroid 2023 HO18 is around 28 sheep in diameter and is set to fly very close to the Earth, according to NASA. However, it won't hit us, despite the close pass.
An asteroid the size of almost 28 domesticated sheep is set to pass close to the Earth on Sunday, June 4, according to NASA's asteroid tracker.
According to the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the asteroid in question has been dubbed 2023 HO18, meaning it was discovered sometime this year.
The flyby will be closer than normal, giving the asteroid a rarity rating of one, but it is in no danger of hitting Earth, nor are the two other asteroids also passing by on June 4. No pulling the wool over your eyes on this one.
Baaaad news? How big is the asteroid coming toward Earth in 2023?
Asteroid 2023 HO18 is estimated by NASA to have a diameter of as much as 50 meters. In imperial measurements for American readers, that would be 164 feet or just under 55 yards.
But to use a more creative metric, consider the humble domesticated sheep (Ovis aries). These animals are widespread throughout the world and while there are a wide number of breeds, they are all still part of the same species.
According to the University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web, domesticated sheep can, on average, grow to as long as 1.8 meters in head and body length. This means that asteroid 2023 HO18's diameter is as long as a line of around 28 domesticated sheep, likely being herded by a very eager corgi or German shepherd.
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