According to NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, three asteroids, including one larger than the Washington Monument, will fly safely past Earth on Christmas Day.
The largest space rock, known as asteroid 501647 (2014 SD224), is expected to reach within 3 million miles of Earth and is believed to be as much as 689 feet in diameter. At its size and distance, it is considered a “potentially dangerous” Near-Earth Object (NEO), but it will pose no threat to the planet if it slips by later this week.
“Potentially dangerous” NEOs are defined as space objects that fall within 0.05 astronomical units and are more than 460 feet in diameter, NASA explained. According to a 2018 report from Planetary.org, there are more than 18,000 NEOs.
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This asteroid last approached Earth on January 26, 2020, and will not do so again until December 18, 2021, NASA added.
In addition to asteroid 501647 (2014 SD224), two other asteroids will fly safely past Earth on Christmas Day – 2020 XY and 2020 YM1. Both are also considered NEOs and, like asteroid 501647, do not pose a threat to Earth.
In 2018, NASA unveiled a 20-page plan outlining the steps the US should take to be better prepared for NEOs, such as asteroids and comets coming within 30 million miles of the planet.
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A recent study found that Americans prefer a space program that focuses on potential asteroid impacts to sending humans back to the Moon or Mars.
In April 2019, NASA awarded a $ 69 million contract to SpaceX, the space exploration company led by Elon Musk, to help it with asteroid deflection through its DART mission.
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NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said in April 2019 that an asteroid strike is not something to be taken lightly and is arguably Earth’s greatest threat.