3 Massive Asteroids Will Zoom By Earth On Saturday

KEY POINTS

NASA's CNEOS is keeping an eye on three giant asteroids set to make their close approach to Earth this Saturday
The three asteroids are estimated to be bigger than the Great Pyramid of Giza
None of the three space rocks have been included in the European Space Agency's Risk List

While NASA's Perseverance rover has arrived on Mars, three massive asteroids are currently heading toward Earth's vicinity and are expected to whiz past the planet this weekend.

The near-Earth asteroids (NEA), identified as 2021 CU3, 2021 CC2 and 2021 CR3, are estimated to be around the size of or larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

Asteroid 2021 CU3 will be the first of the three to pass by Earth this Saturday at 12:58 a.m. EST and is also among the largest in size of the group of NEAs, according to the database of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).

With a diameter of about 558 feet (170 meters), the space rock is about the size of the Washington Monument, which stands 554 feet (169 meters) tall. The asteroid will also be the fastest-moving among the three as it is currently hurtling through space at an average velocity of 58,000 miles per hour (93,000 kilometers per hour).

Hours after 2021 CU3's close approach, asteroid 2021 CC2 will then make its flyby at 2:44 p.m. EST, according to CNEOS.

While it is the smallest of the three asteroids, 2021 CC2 still boasts an intimidating diameter — reaching about 524 feet (160 meters). An NEA of this size would be larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza, which stands 456 feet (130 meters), per The Measure of Things. The second asteroid will whiz past Earth at a speed of just 10,000 miles per hour (16,000 kilometers per hour).

Capping off Saturday's asteroid close approaches is 2021 CR3, which is the same size as 2021 CU3 but traveling at a slightly slower speed. At about 558 feet in height, the third asteroid is nearly the size of the Space Needle in Washington — the tower built in 1962 that stands 603 feet (184 meters) tall.

Asteroid 2021 CR3 will be traveling at an average velocity of 51,000 miles per hour (83,000 kilometers per hour) when it flies by Earth this Saturday at approximately 6:15 p.m. EST, according to CNEOS.

The European Space Agency, however, assures that the three giant asteroids are not a cause for concern as none of them have qualified to be included in the agency's Risk List.

All three asteroids will be no less than 3.8 million miles from Earth's surface during their upcoming flybys.