The space rock, named 2016 JG38, is classified by the US Space Agency as a “near-Earth object” because of its proximity to our planet.
NASA monitors such objects to learn more about asteroids and comets passing near us, and more importantly, because if their path changes, it could endanger the planet.
The asteroid is believed to be between 42 and 93 meters long, based on observations, and it will pass by the planet at 4.12 pm GMT today.
If a space rock of this size collided with Earth, it could destroy an entire city and lead to rapid climate change.
Fortunately, it is expected to pass at a distance of just over 3 million miles – or 13.17 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
This is still considered a “close approach” by NASA given the size of the solar system.
Large numbers of “near-Earth” asteroids pass by the planet every month, and NASA monitors them closely for very good reason.
A smaller asteroid called 2024 SN8, which was discovered this year, passed Earth at 7.30 a.m. GMT today, also at a much closer distance of 771,000 miles.
In fact, this October will witness the passage of 38 space rocks near our planet, all of which will be under the supervision of NASA scientists.
It is worth noting that the Earth has been hit by more than 3 million pieces of space rocks in its 4.5 billion-year history, according to scientists. The most important was the 110-mile-wide asteroid that struck Chicxulub, Mexico, 66 million years ago, and is credited with ending the age of the dinosaurs.
Source: Express
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