Asteroid three times larger than the Great Pyramid to buzz Earth in just hours

Difference between asteroids, meteors, and comets, continued

When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids.

“Meteoroids are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. Think of them as ‘space rocks,'” Nasa reported.

Difference between asteroids, meteors, and comets

An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun.

They are “rocky, airless remnants left over from the early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago,” Nasa reveals.

Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter).

But they can be found anywhere, including in a path that can impact Earth.

Asteroids often approach Earth

Asteroids that come very close to Earth are fairly common.

Nasa has previously revealed that car-sized asteroids hit the Earth’s atmosphere at least once a year, but they burn up before reaching the ground.

And a lot of asteroids are hard to spot because they can be in blind spots created by the Sun.

Asteroid deflection

Nasa recently launched its Double Asteroid Redirection Test 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.”

Concerned tweets

In response to Musk’s tweet, people on Twitter reacted to the concern that Earth might not be prepared for asteroids to hit.

One user tweeted: “We need to develop a new technology to prevent this…”

Another said: “I am forever grateful that you retweeted this and that NASA is finally getting their s**t together on this topic.”

“Not only are we vulnerable but this will help space funding as well.”

‘No defense’

Some experts are worried that Earth isn’t yet ready to defend itself from potentially deadly asteroids that could hit in the future.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk once sparked concern by tweeting: “a big rock will hit Earth eventually & we currently have no defense.”

How fast is it moving?

Asteroid 2015 DR215 should shoot past the Earth from its safe distance at a speed of just under 19,000 miles per hour.

‘Potentially hazardous’

Nasa has flagged Asteroid 2015 DR215 as a “close approach.”

If an asteroid comes within 4.65million miles and is over a certain size, it’s considered “potentially hazardous” by space agencies.

Friday’s large asteroid fits this description.

Asteroid expected to pass Earth

Asteroid 2015 DR215 is expected to pass Earth at a distance of 4.1million miles.

That may sound pretty far away, but isn’t far at all when it comes to distance in space.

That is why Nasa has still flagged it as a “close approach,” despite the improbability of danger to our planet.

Could the asteroid damage Earth?

At up to 1,607 feet wide, the asteroid is larger than the Empire State Building, which stands at 1,454 feet tall.

An asteroid of this size would cause some serious damage if it hit Earth.

However, it is not expected to do so.

Empire State building-sized

The asteroid is larger than the Empire State Building.

New York’s most iconic building stands at 1,454 feet tall, and Asteroid 2015 DR215 is up to 1,607 feet wide.

Nasa monitoring

Asteroid 2015 DR215 has made it onto Nasa’s “close approach” list and stands out as one of the largest on the table at up to 1,607 feet wide.

Is an asteroid approaching Earth?

Asteroid 2015 DR215 is a large asteroid that’s expected to make a close approach in the early hours of Friday morning.