An asteroid expected to make “a close approach” to Earth on Wednesday is as big as one of the Great Pyramids, and while NASA has flagged this massive space rock as “potentially hazardous” apparently there’s really nothing to worry about, RT reported.
The asteroid, known as 2016 NF23, measures between 230 feet and 535 feet in diameter and is hurtling toward Earth at 20,000 mph, but before you prepare for an apocalyptic weekend it’s worth knowing that the space rock will miss our planet by a long shot.
According to NASA, all Near-Earth Asteroids are listed as potentially hazardous if their orbits fall within a certain range of Earth.
In this case, NF23 will come within approximately three million miles of Earth.
Lindley Johnson, planetary defense officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington, assured that “there is absolutely nothing for concern by this pass of 2016 NF23,” adding that its orbit may over time bring it close to Earth’s orbit, but "there is nothing hazardous to Earth or even unique about this pass of the asteroid,” according to Space.com.
Every now and again news of an asteroid whizzing towards Earth makes the headlines, but not to worry for at least a century.
Former astronaut Ed Lu, who is the executive director of the Asteroid Institute and co-founder of a California-based nonprofit that promotes planetary self-defense, recently told NBC News’ MACH there’s no imminent threat.
“There are no asteroids that we know of right now that have a very high chance of hitting Earth in the next 100 years,” Lu said.
Even if there was, Lu noted that “nowadays we have the technology to find and track asteroids. If we do our job properly, [a catastrophic hit] shouldn't happen.”
Earlier this month the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released a report outlining how NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will prevent hazardous asteroids from hitting us.
Based on the document, NASA intends to test methods to prevent asteroids from colliding with Earth over the next decade, depending on the size of the object hurtling toward us.
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