Asteroid the size of a house will come closer to the Earth than the moon tomorrow

A house-sized asteroid will swing past the Earth tomorrow at a distance so close it is classified as ‘potentially hazardous’.

The colossal chunk of space rock spanning 62ft (19m) has been named 2019 SP3 and will be shoot past the planet at more than 19,000 miles per hour.

NASA describes the close proximity of this space rock as ‘potentially hazardous’, even though it will only pass within about 230,000 miles (370,000km) of our planet’s surface. 

This means it will be closer than the moon, which is about 239,000 miles (384,000km) away. 

NASA said: ‘Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth.

‘Specifically, all asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.05 au or less are considered PHAs.’

AU means astronomical unit – a measure of distance which is approximately 93million miles (150,000,000km), the same as from the Earth to Sun. 

This means that an asteroid will be considered potentially hazardous if it’s less than 4.6million miles away. 

There are currently 878 asteroids at risk of hitting the Earth in the next 100 years, according to the European Space Agency (file photo) 

The asteroid won’t come close enough to our plant to risk hitting it, however, and even if it did it’s too small to cause anything more than damage where it hit.

But it is almost as big as the 66ft Chelyabinsk meteor which exploded in an air burst over western Russia in 2013.

Some 1,500 people were seriously injured from the fireball’s impact, which was not forecast by astronomers.   

There are currently 878 asteroids at risk of hitting the Earth in the next 100 years, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). 

The agency added that an impact by even a small asteroid could lead to ‘serious devastation’ and, to reduce the risks of a collision, the ESA and several other groups have joined together to search for asteroids. 

They are also developing technology to deflect space rocks and will discuss potential tactics at several meetings across Europe.

HOW IS NASA STEPPING UP ITS EFFORTS TO STOP DEADLY ASTEROIDS HITTING EARTH?

The US government is stepping up efforts to protect the planet from incoming asteroids that could wipe out entire regions or even continents.

The National Science and Technology Council released a 20-page report on June 21 calling for improved asteroid detection, tracking and deflection.

The initiative backed by Nasa, federal emergency officials, and the White House aims to coordinate efforts over the next 10 years to detect and respond to possible threats in Earth’s vicinity, should they arise.

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) include all asteroids and comets that orbit within 30 million miles of Earth, Nasa said.

The U.S. government is stepping up efforts to protect the planet from incoming asteroids that could wipe out entire regions or even continents (stock image)

While the probability of an asteroid impact may be low, the effects could be cataclysmic.

For now, scientists know of no asteroids or comets heading our way. But one could sneak up on us – and that’s why the government wants a better plan.

Nasa’s planetary defense officer, Lindley Johnson, says scientists have found 95 percent of all near-Earth objects measuring one kilometer (two-thirds of a mile) or bigger.

But the hunt is still on for the remaining five per cent and smaller rocks that could still inflict big damage.

The new document, titled ‘The National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan,’ established five strategic goals to reduce the risk of an asteroid strike.

These included better methods for detecting and tracking the objects, improved modelling, the development of technologies to deflect NEOs, increased international cooperation on the subject, and the establishment of emergency procedures.