NASA Spots Massive 2,000-Foot Asteroid Headed For Earth On Boxing Day

NASA warned that an asteroid almost as big as the tallest man-made structure in the world will approach Earth on Boxing Day. Given the asteroid’s size and current speed, it could destroy an entire city if it hits the planet.

The approaching asteroid has been identified by NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) as 310442 (2000 CH59). According to the agency, this asteroid is currently flying across space with an average speed of almost 25,000 miles per hour. The asteroid will most likely retain its current speed once it gets close to Earth later this year.

CNEOS estimated that 310442 (2000 CH59) is about 2,034 feet wide. Give its size, the asteroid is almost as big as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is the current record-holder for the tallest man-made structure in the world.

310442 (2000 CH59) has been classified as an Aten asteroid. Like other asteroids that belong to this category, 310442 (2000 CH59)’s orbit occasionally intersects with that of Earth. This usually occurs when the asteroid approaches its farthest point from the Sun.

Due to the space boulder’s size and Earth-crossing trajectory, 310442 (2000 CH59) has been labeled by CNEOS as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA).

“Potentially Hazardous Asteroids are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth,” NASA said in a statement.

“Specifically, all asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance of 0.05 astronomical units or less and an absolute magnitude of 22.0 or less are considered PHAs,” the agency added.

If the asteroid ends up on a collision course with Earth, the resulting impact event would leave a massive crater at least four miles wide. The energy from the impact would be powerful enough to level and incinerate everything within a major city.

Fortunately, CNEOS ruled out a possible impact event caused by 310442 (2000 CH59) in December. According to the agency, the asteroid will fly past the planet on Dec. 26 at 3:54 a.m. EDT. During this time, the asteroid will approach the planet from a distance of 0.04874 astronomical units or about 4.5 million miles away.