As if we really need another thing to worry about these days...
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but an asteroid bigger than the Empire State Building is heading toward Earth as you read this.
From the New York Post:
NASA is keeping a close eye on a huge asteroid that's heading towards Earth.
The US space agency expects Asteroid 388945 (2008 TZ3) to make a close approach to our planet on May 15.
The giant space rock is predicted to be up to 1,608 feet wide.
In comparison, New York's iconic Empire State Building stands at 1,454 feet tall.
An asteroid of this size would cause some serious damage if it hit Earth.
But don't sell off all your things and buy a one-way ticket to Hawaii just yet!
There's no need to panic though as Asteroid 388945 (2008 TZ3) should pass us from a distance of about 3.5 million miles away.
That may sound pretty far away but in the grand scheme of space this isn't a large distance at all.
...It should shoot past from its safe distance at a speed of just over 18,000 miles per hour.
Nasa says the asteroid should pass Earth at around 5:18 p.m. ET and 9:18 p.m. GMT [on Sunday, May 15].
If it makes you feel better, Elon Musk doesn't seem too worried either. 😀👍
In 2019, the media ran a report of asteroid 99942 Apophis, dubbed "THE GOD OF CHAOS" (dramatic much?).
This asteroid, at only 1,210 feet in diameter, is predicted to pass within 19,000 miles of Earth in 2029, which is inside the band of some satellites.
So, yeah... no worries!
The rock is expected to shine exceptionally bright in the sky and pick up speed as it flies across the sky in 2029.
Experts like Elon Musk have sparked concern over how prepared (or should I say unprepared) the country, and the world, actually is for something like this.
NASA has been looking into asteroid defense methods and has recently launched its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission.
Nasa said: "DART is the first-ever mission dedicated to investigating and demonstrating one method of asteroid deflection by changing an asteroid's motion in space through kinetic impact."
The DART craft should slam into a small asteroid called Dimorphos in September with the aim of moving it off course.
Mr. Elon Musk, stop digging tunnels and meme-tweeting and help us!
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