A “potentially hazardous” pyramid-size asteroid will zoom previous Earth at around 48,000 miles per hour(77,300 km/h) today as it reaches its closest indicate our world in more than 100 years. The significant area rock postures no threat of striking us now or in the future, information programs.

On Wednesday (March 26), at around 7:30 a.m. ET, asteroid 2014 TN17 will come within 3.2 million miles (5.1 million kilometers)of Earth– or around 13 times even more away than the moon, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)This is the closest method forecasted for the asteroid throughout nearly 300 years of JPL simulations, that included computations of all of its flybys in between 1906 to 2200.

Scientists approximate that it is around 540 feet (165 meters) broad. That is somewhat larger than the height of Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza and makes it big sufficient to eliminate a city if it affected our world. NASA categorizes 2014 TN17 as “potentially hazardous” since of its size and periodic distance to Earth. That does not suggest it is unsafe.

Related: NASA’s many desired: The 5 most unsafe asteroids to Earth

Throughout the upcoming flyby, the asteroid will be too far to be observed with a yard telescope or stargazing field glassesIt is big enough for scientists to study it and the area rock is presently arranged to be observed by NASA’s Goldstone Solar System Radar (GSSR) system in California, which focuses on observing close-by planetary system things as they pass us by.

Recently, the GSSR telescope has actually assisted expose the uncommon “snowman” shape of one asteroid, find modifications in the orbital trajectories of another and find a mini-moon orbiting a 3rd. The approaching observations might yield likewise fascinating insights about 2014 TN17.

Close encounters

There are presently around 2,500 recognized possibly dangerous asteroids, according to the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet CenterNone are forecasted to strike Earth anytime quickly. There are a couple of that will get rather close.

One such area rock is the prospective city-killer asteroid 2024 YR4, that made headings previously this year when the possibilities of it striking our world in 2032 increased as high as 3.1%The chances of effect have considering that dropped to absolutely noThere is still a slim possibility that it might crash into the moon

Another asteroid that will have a near-miss of Earth is the large “god of chaos” asteroid Apophis, which will come closer to our world than some satellites in 2029. There is presently absolutely no opportunity of it striking usSome scientists caution that this might alter if its trajectory is modified by another asteroid en path– and we might not recognize if this has actually occurred for numerous years. This is really not likely.

In 2022, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) objective showed our capability to deflect possibly destructive effects by flying spacecraft into approaching asteroids to change their trajectory. This technique would need sophisticated caution and lots of information on the target asteroid, which makes finding and tracking these possibly hazardous area rocks a top priority.

Harry is a U.K.-based senior personnel author at Live Science. He studied marine biology at the University of Exeter before training to end up being a reporter. He covers a large range of subjects consisting of area expedition, planetary science, area weather condition, environment modification, animal habits and paleontology. His current deal with the solar optimum won “best space submission” at the 2024 Aerospace Media Awards and was shortlisted in the “top scoop” classification at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence in 2023. He likewise composes Live Science’s weekly Earth from area series.