NASA is keeping an eye on a large asteroid that is scheduled to pass over Earth on Christmas Day.
The space rock, 501647 (2014 SD224), is on the U.S. space agency’s “Close Approach” list and could be up to 689 feet wide.
This is as long as two football fields.
It is expected to reach less than 1.9 million kilometers from Earth.
It may seem like no risk, but in terms of space, it’s pretty close.
Any fast-moving space object that reaches about 4.65 million kilometers is considered “potentially dangerous” by prudent space organizations.
The space rock is expected to shoot beyond our planet on December 25th.
It should be closest by 3:20 pm ET.
According to NASA’s Close Approach table, a much smaller asteroid called 2020 XY will also pass over it much earlier in the day.
This asteroid could be up to 144 feet wide but should be much farther away.
It is expected to shoot 3.6 million miles from Earth.
The largest and closest asteroid 501647 (SD224 2014) travels at a speed of about 22,000 mph.
NASA has labeled the two asteroids near Earth objects.
