400-foot asteroid heading for Earth on Christmas Day; NASA clocks it at a scary 25028 kmph

Even as you are celebrating Christmas with your friends, family, and loved ones, there is an enormous asteroid rushing towards the Earth and is set to come dangerously close. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory informed on its portal that a potentially hazardous asteroid of a whopping 400-foot in diameter is rushing towards the Earth on December 25, that is today. This asteroid dubbed 2022 TE14 will make an uncomfortably close approach to the Earth. At its worst, a giant asteroid collision with Earth can have disastrous consequences, it can even end the whole of humankind on the planet.

Do you remember those tales about the disappearance of the dinosaurs from Earth? Yes, those tales are true! The reason is none other than the strike of the asteroid 65 million years ago. However, to keep a constant eye on these monster rocks, NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office monitors the skies and keeps a watch on various Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). If any NEO comes within 8 million kilometers of Earth, the organization red flags the NEO and issues an alert. So should you worry about this upcoming 400-foot-wide asteroid? Know what NASA said.

Danger of 400-foot wide asteroid

As per the asteroid data tracking page by NASA, Asteroid 2022 TE14 will fly past the Earth today December 25 at a horrifyingly close distance of just 2.67 million miles at a speed of 25028 kmph. NASA’s JPL has given the tag of potentially hazardous objects to all the space rocks that approach within 4.6 million miles of Earth and have a size larger than about 150 meters. This is what makes this giant 400-foot asteroid a potential threat to Earth.

The asteroid 2022 TE14 was first discovered on September 22, 2022, which belongs to the Apollo group. Sky.org said that this asteroid makes one orbit around the Sun in 932 days. After this, the next expected close approach of this giant space rock is expected on January 08, 2074.

However, you should not worry as there are several Earth and Sky-based technologies like telescopes, satellites, and more deployed by NASA in space. NASA keeps a constant eye on the movements of the asteroids to ensure any kind of threat is quickly found.