Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Incoming asteroid to pass between Earth and the moon, football field-sized space rock to follow

Incoming asteroid to pass between Earth and the moon, football field-sized space rock to follow

As NASA’s OSIRIS-REx probe bids farewell to the asteroid Bennu, closer to home the space agency has issued warnings about two other space rocks set to come a little close for comfort to the Earth.
On April 10, the asteroid 2021 GT3, measuring 19 meters across (roughly the length of a bowling lane) is due to pass between the Earth and the moon at a distance of just 255,886km or 30 times the length of the Great Wall of China.

For reference, the average distance between our planet and its natural satellite is just 385,000km, so this flyby is a little close for comfort.

Mercifully, the asteroid likely doesn't pose a direct threat to the Earth, though it does serve as yet another reminder of just how vulnerable the planet may be to cosmic debris.

Less than one month later, however, an arguably more intimidating rocky foe is due to buzz the planet, as asteroid 2021 AF8, estimated to measure anywhere from 260 to 580 meters, is expected to pay a visit to the Earth's backyard.

Travelling at a whopping 9km per second, the "potentially hazardous" AF8, as NASA describes it, is expected to pass at up to 3.4 million km from the Earth, so humanity will live to fight another day, for now at least.

Lest anyone forget, world-famous French physician and astrologer Nostradamus, with his predilection for predictions, prophesied that the Earth would be struck by an asteroid in 2021, according to some interpretations of his admittedly open-to-interpretation doomsday diatribes.

Only time will tell, but thankfully NASA and other world space agencies are keeping a close eye on the skies for potential threats. Whether humanity could handle them is another matter.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×