NASA: Giant ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Asteroid Closest to Smashing Into Earth in 400 Years

Despite its designation as a PHA, 2014 JO25 will pass within a safe distance of about 1.8 million kilometers on April 19. That distance is also measured in what scientists call a lunar distance, meaning how close the Moon is to Earth (238,855 miles). This time 2014 JO25 will come within 4.57 lunar distances.

The asteroid was discovered by the Mt. Lemmon Survey in May 2014. It was described as a “bright object” and is expected to be among the best targets for observation this year.

NASA doesn’t expect an asteroid of this size to approach Earth for more than 10 years.

The next known flyby by an object with a comparable or larger diameter will occur when 800-meter-diameter asteroid ‘1999 AN10’ comes within one lunar distance in August 2027.”

Two other sizeable asteroids, ‘2003 BD44’ and ‘1999 CU3,” both of which are nearly 2 kilometers wide, will pass by Earth shortly, but not anywhere as close as they did in 2014.

Astrowatch reports that there are 1,781 PHAs detected in space but none of them are on a projected collision course with our planet. So asteroids smashing into Earth will remain solely a sci-fi fantasy for the foreseeable future.

A ~1-km asteroid, 2014 JO25, will make a close flyby of Earth on Apr 19, 2017 (4.8 Lunar Distance)@BadAstronomer pic.twitter.com/ixfbyOmQda

— Ron Baalke (@RonBaalke) May 22, 2016

Pic of a 10-meter rock that passed inside the Moon’s orbit a couple of hours ago. Amazing we can find these things. https://t.co/jbpROY4GDU

— Phil Plait (@BadAstronomer) April 2, 2017

Source: RT