Technology
Nasa warns of incoming asteroid set to zip past Earth at 50,000mph TODAY
NASA’S has revealed than an asteroid larger than Big Ben is set to shoot past Earth today.
The large space rock is set to make a close approach later this evening.
The asteroid isn’t expected to collide with Earth and should stay 1,804,450 miles away
Asteroid 2021RL3 is said to be anywhere between 160 feet to 360 feet wide.
The Elizabeth Tower in central London, commonly called Big Ben after the bell inside, is around 315 feet.
The whopping asteroid is travelling around 50,000mph.
The good news is it isn’t actually expected to impact Earth.
It will actually be around 1,804,450 miles away.
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The closest passing should happen around 22.30 GMT (18:30 ET).
You may think over a million miles seems far away but it’s actually pretty close in space terms.
Any fast moving space object that comes within around 4.65 million miles is considered to be “potentially hazardous” by cautious space organisations.
That’s why Nasa can comfortably label Asteroid 2021RL3 as a “close approach” asteroid.
For comparison, the Moon is just 238,855 miles away.
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