‘Potentially hazardous’ space rock heading towards Earth within days, Nasa warns

How do asteroids get their names?

When it comes to naming asteroids, the International Astronomical Union’s Committee on Small Body Nomenclature is lenient.

As a result, there’s a massive space rock named Mr Spock circling the Sun after the Star Trek figure.

There is also another space rock named after rock musician Frank Zappa.

There are even more solemn memorials, like the seven asteroids named after the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia, which perished in 2003.

Asteroids are also given names based on places and other things, according to NASA.

Did an asteroid kill the dinosaurs?

The extinction of the dinosaurs was definitely caused by an asteroid impact, according to a team of scientists who were evaluating whether the newer theory that volcanoes led to their demise was accurate.

The researchers used a variety of methods to assess ancient temperature records and the amount of greenhouse gases that could have been in the atmosphere.

According to the study results, volcanic gasses may have still played a role in the decline of the dinosaurs.

What is a ‘potentially hazardous’ asteroid, continued

An asteroid would also need to be 460 feet or larger in size to be considered potentially hazardous by Nasa.

Thousands of near-earth objects (NEOs) are tracked by scientists to monitor whether they’re on a collision course with our planet.

Nasa lists them in its NEO Earth Close Approaches table.

What is a ‘potentially hazardous’ asteroid?

Nasa’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) explains on its website: “Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth.”

Large fast-moving space objects that come within 4.65 million miles of Earth are considered to be “potentially hazardous” by cautious space organizations.

One small change to their trajectories could spell disaster for Earth.

Is this asteroid ‘potentially hazardous’?

If an asteroid comes within 4.65million miles and is over a certain size, it’s considered “potentially hazardous” by cautious space agencies.

Sunday’s asteroid fits this description.

‘Close approach’ expected

Asteroid 388945 (2008 TZ3) should pass us from a distance of about 3.5million miles away.

That may sound pretty far away but in the grand scheme of space, it isn’t a large distance at all.

That’s why Nasa has still flagged it as a “close approach”.

How fast is the asteroid moving?

Asteroid 388945 2008 TZ3 should shoot past Earth from its safe distance at a speed of just over 18,000 miles per hour.

When to look up

Nasa says the asteroid should pass Earth at around 21.18 UTC, which is 5.18pm ET and 9.18pm GMT.

What is Asteroid 388945 (2008 TZ3), continued

An asteroid of this size would cause some serious damage if it hit Earth.

There’s no need to panic though as Asteroid 388945 (2008 TZ3) should pass us from a distance of about 3.5million miles away.

What is Asteroid 388945 (2008 TZ3)?

Nasa expects Asteroid 388945 (2008 TZ3) to make a close approach to our planet on May 15.

The giant space rock is predicted to be up to 1,608 feet wide.

By comparison, New York’s iconic Empire State Building stands at 1,454 feet tall.