An asteroid larger than the Great Pyramids of Giza will zip by Earth tomorrow afternoon at an estimated 32,400 km/h.
But despite NASA having labelled the massive object as "potentially hazardous", there’s no chance of a calamitous collision, astronomers say.
The space rock, dubbed 2016 NF23, has prompted headlines in the world media suggesting that it could come "dangerously close" to Earth. At an estimated diameter ranging from 70 to 160 metres, it certainly would cause massive destruction if it entered our atmosphere.
But despite the "potentially hazardous" label, this pass of 2016 NF23 will be about 4.8 million kilometres away. Of all the nearly 2000 "hazardous" asteroids currently being monitored, NASA says none are due for collision with our planet for at least a century.
"There is absolutely nothing for concern by this pass," NASA's planetary defence officer Lindley Johnson told Space.com in an email.
"This object is merely designated a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) because its orbit over time brings it within 5 million miles (8 million kilometres) of Earth's orbit.
"But there is nothing hazardous to Earth or even unique about this pass of the asteroid."
A smaller but still sizable asteroid, with an estimated diameter between 38 and 86 metres, will pass even closer to Earth this week, Space.com reports. However, it also poses no threat.
SHARE ME