Asteroid measuring 15 meters makes close flyby of Earth FREE for the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up forfor the biggest new releases, reviews and tech hacks When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The giant asteroid will skim the planet after midnight on the morning of Friday, August 24, about 12.44am UT. Asteroid 2018 PR9 will make a so-called “close Earth approach” tomorrow, skimming the Earth close enough for NASA to take notice. The asteroid is currently barreling towards the planet at incredible top speeds of 31,384mph or 14.03 kilometres per second. At this speed, Asteroid PR9 moves at nearly half the orbital speed of the Earth around the Sun – about 67,000mph. Asteroid PR9 also moves nearly 14-times faster than the Moon does around our planet. NASA’s asteroid database reveals Asteroid PR9 measures somewhere between 114.8 feet (35 metres) and 252.6 feet (77m) in diameter. The asteroid’s top estimated diameter is larger than the 157-foot-tall (48m) Colosseum in Rome, Italy and up to 11 times more than the Great Wall of China. The space rock’s trajectory through the solar system will see the asteroid come within 3.7 million miles (5.9 million km) of Earth. NASA asteroid: The giant space rock will skim the planet by 3.7 million miles Asteroid PR9 will approach Earth within 18 lunar distances – the average distance from the Earth to the Moon. The figures in question might seem incredibly distant to observers on Earth, but on the cosmic scale o things, 3.7 million miles warrants interest from NASA’s astronomers. Asteroid PR9 is classed as an NEO space rock or Near-Earth Object. NASA explained: “As they orbit the Sun, NEOs can occasionally approach close to Earth. “Note that ‘close’ passage astronomically can be very far away in human terms – millions or even tens of millions of kilometres.” But NASA stressed there is always a degree of uncertainty when analysing the data of close approach asteroids. These uncertainties can be accounted for by the quality and number of observations, as well as their geometry. The space agency said: “Of these parameters, the time spanned by the observations generally has the greatest effect on orbital uncertainty.” But Asteroid PR9 is not the only giant space rock to flyby the Earth this month – it is one of eight between today and August 30. NASA discover rare double asteroid orbiting space NASA asteroid: The asteroid is bigger than the Colosseum is tall An asteroid bigger than the Pyramids, dubbed Asteroid NF23, will skim the planet next week on Wednesday, August 29. Another asteroid, Asteroid SD9, will come dangerously close on the same night approaching the Earth within 4.22 lunar distances or just over one million miles (1.6 million km). As of September 2017, there are approximately 3.5 million NEOs larger than 32 feet (10m) across. Any NEO that measures more than 459 feet (140m) in size is classed by NASA as a “potentially hazardous” object. About 90 percent of the NEOs are in the 32 feet (10m) to 64 feet (20m) range. NASA asteroid: The space rock barrels through space at the speed of 14.03 km per second<doc-sep>An asteroid estimated at between 70 and 160 meters (230 to 525 feet) in diameter will make a "close approach" to Earth next week, according to NASA. The rocky object, referred to as 2016 NF23, is traveling at around 20,000 miles per hour—faster than many rockets. Data from the space agency's Earth Close Approaches website indicates that the Near Earth Object (NEO) will come nearest to our planet on August 29. NEOs are any asteroid or comet whose orbits bring it into the inner solar system within about 121 million miles of the sun, and also within about 30 million miles of Earth's orbit. If the orbit of an NEO at the time of its discovery is such that there is a (typically small) chance it will collide with Earth and cause significant damage, it is labeled "potentially hazardous," according to the Swinburne Astronomy Online Encyclopedia. The asteroid, or other object, must have a minimum approach distance of less than 0.05 astronomical units or roughly 4.6 million miles to be classified as such. At its closest approach, 2016 NF23, for example, will be approximately 3.1 million miles (or 0.033 astronomical units) away from Earth. Fortunately, this means there is no danger of a strike. If an asteroid the size of 2016 NF23 did crash into our planet it would cause significant damage on the scale of entire countries. A strike involving a larger asteroid greater than a kilometer (0.62 miles) in diameter would have global consequences if it crashed into Earth. Read more: NASA is approaching the asteroid Bennu, one of the most 'hazardous' objects that might hit Earth Aside from the massive destruction resulting from the initial impact, the global climate would be affected, leading to widespread crop failures and loss of life, among other effects. Once potentially hazardous asteroids or other objects, such as comets, are discovered, they are monitored continually by observatories around the world. Over time, their orbits may be disrupted through gravitational interactions with other planets or bodies, increasing or decreasing the risk of a collision, according to the Swinburne Astronomy Online Encyclopedia. But even though the orbits of "potentially hazardous asteroids" are uncertain,"it is possible to estimate the size of these uncertainties and place corresponding limits on close-approach distance and time," according to NASA. In total, the number of known NEOs exceeds 18,000. Researchers have detected around 90 percent of those larger than a kilometer in size, none of which are predicted to collide with Earth.There are, however, thought to be many NEOs smaller than this that are currently unaccounted for.<doc-sep>NASA scientists want to know more about the beginnings of our universe and the origin of life, and they plan to learn it by landing a craft on an asteroid - and bringing it back. The asteroid they've got their sights on is called Bennu. "This is a golden age for planetary exploration," says NASA chief scientist James Green. "Missions like this will bring in an enormous amount of new information that really is going to tell us about the origin and evolution of life." The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft launched two years ago, and will reach the asteroid in December. Its mission is to get close enough to briefly touch Bennu's surface and collect dust and soil samples, before flying back to Earth. Dr Green says those samples could unlock the secrets of our planet's beginnings. "This mission is all about finding how materials, objects like this, fit in with the origin of the Earth and potentially how it may have started life here on Earth." Scientists also believe Bennu - which predates Earth - could have traces of water on it. They also hope to find out whether there's any truth to suggestions it could one day smack into our planet. Current calculations put it at a fraction of a percent, but you can never be too sure. "By studying it and seeing how it orbits the sun, that will be our clue as to how this asteroid will evolve over time and whether will become a hazard or not." Bennu's about 500m across, and travelling at 28km a second.<doc-sep>
NASA release visualisation of all known asteroids Solar System The giant space rock, designation 2016 NF23, will make a so-called “close Earth approach” in the wee morning hours on Wednesday, August 29. US space agency NASA warned the asteroid will skim the planet around 1am UK time next week. NASA expects Asteroid NF23 to barrel towards the planet at terrifying speeds of 20,000mph (9km per second). The asteroid is estimated to be anywhere between 230ft (70m) and 524ft (160m) in diameter, making it potentially bigger than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. The asteroid is so big it is ranked on NASA’s list of potentially hazardous asteroids. A space rock this large could kill millions and wipe out an entire city in an instant if it were to slam into the planet at full speeds. So what exactly is the risk posed to Earth by Asteroid NF23? It is true the asteroid is listed as a potentially hazardous space rock but there is absolutely no fear from NASA’s astronomers NF23 will hit anytime soon. Asteroid NF23: The giant space rock will skim past the planet on Wednesday, August 29 On August 29 the asteroid will safely pass the planet at a distance of about 0.0338 Astronomical Units which translates to more than three million miles (4.8 million km). This staggering distance is equal to about 13 times the average distance from the Earth to the Moon. Lindley Johnson, a planetary defence officer at NASA’s Headquarters in Washington, assured there is absolutely nothing to fear from the asteroid. He told Space.com: “There is absolutely nothing for concern by this pass of 2016 NF23. “This object is merely designated a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) because its orbit over time wings it within five million miles of Earth’s orbit, but there is nothing hazardous to Earth or even unique about this pass of the asteroid.” There is absolutely noting for concern by this pass of 2016 NF23 Lindley Johnson, NASA Asteroid NF23 is a so-called near-Earth object (NEO) – an asteroid or comet that zips past the planet dangerously close. NASA’s repository of NEO asteroids is not a database of space rocks that will one day hit, but their close approach is enough to warrant interest from the space agency. In 2017 NASA said none of the currently monitored asteroids in space are on a collision course with Earth for at least another 100 years. Asteroid NF23: The monstrous space rock will thankfully not hit the planer Asteroid NF23: NASA is confident no space rock will hit Earth for another 100 years