• News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
Asteroid size of football pitch hurtling towards Earth, says NASA

Home> Science> Space

Updated 10:41 1 Feb 2024 GMTPublished 10:42 1 Feb 2024 GMT

Asteroid size of football pitch hurtling towards Earth, says NASA

Scientists have revealed whether we should be worried about this asteroid.

Prudence Wade

Prudence Wade

If you ever want a little dose of existential dread (or indeed a sense of wonder), it's always a good idea to check in with the folks at NASA.

They're constantly watching the skies for interstellar events and, of course, asteroids.

In fact, they have a handy page that keeps a list of the next five asteroids that will approach within a certain distance from Earth - although the majority will still be so far away as to pose next to no risk whatsoever.

Advert

Erik Simonsen / Getty

If you check that page pretty often, you'll see a lot of asteroids the size of airplanes in the list, and a few smaller ones, but this week we're getting one that's a good chunk bigger.

Asteroids don't get catchy names, since there are so many of them, and 2008 OS7 is no exception. Still, it's a noteworthy one regardless - if only because it's roughly the size of a football stadium at around 890 feet in diameter.

That's one chunky hunk of rock, but it won't get any closer than 1,770,000 miles away from us and isn't on any sort of collision course. It will pass by Earth on February 2, if you want to keep tabs on it.

Advert

Still, the space rock is big enough that it passes the marks required for NASA to label it as a 'potentially hazardous object', which means that if it did hit our planet it could do some noticeable damage.

Despite its decently impressive size, there's very little chance that 2008 OS7 will be visible to the human eye in any way as it passes through its closest point to us, with only way, way bigger asteroids ever having been easily visible without equipment.

by Ruhey / Getty

If you're wondering how someone who actually knows what all this means has to say about it, Dr Minjae Kim, Research Fellow, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, said: “2008 OS7, a very small asteroid whose orbit intersects with that of Earth, has been classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA). We don’t need to worry about it too much as this asteroid will not enter Earth’s atmosphere, while this will still approach close to the Earth."

Advert

Astronomers are just built different - only they could think that an asteroid the size of a football pitch is "very small", eh?

Featured Image Credit: Maciej Frolow / lupengyu / Getty
Space
Nasa

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • NASA simulation reveals horrifying way Earth could be 'ejected' from the solar system
  • NASA telescope reveals asteroid with force of 500 Hiroshima bombs is heading towards the Moon
  • NASA engineer reveals exact locations asteroid could hit Earth as chances of collision continue to increase
  • NASA issue statement as 196 ft 'city-destroying' asteroid threatens to hit Earth

Choose your content:

3 days ago
  • 3 days ago

    Scientists identify source of eerie ocean rings used as a 'communication' signal from non-humans

    This could change everything

    Science
  • 3 days ago

    Shocking study reveals exactly how quickly humanity would go extinct if we stopped having children

    Humanity could be plunged into chaos quicker than you might think

    Science
  • 3 days ago

    Doctor issues warning over simple supplement dubbed 'nature's Ozempic'

    Opting for 'natural Ozempic' might not be as good as it seems

    Science
  • 3 days ago

    Scientists discover groundbreaking new evidence that the Big Bang theory is wrong

    A team of researchers have come up with the new Black Hole Universe theory

    Science