Great Pyramid of Giza-Sized Asteroid to 'Close' Approach Earth Soon, Should We Worry?

NASA said an asteroid the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza will swing near the Earth on Sunday, July 25, in what may be termed as a "close" encounter.

The asteroid, dubbed 2008 GO20, has yet to be definitively measured. However, estimations place it between 97 and 220 meters (318 to 720 feet), Jet Propulsion Laboratory said. The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, which is regarded a gigantic architectural marvel, stands at a height of 138 meters (450 feet). It might also be exponentially larger than India's famous Taj Mahal, which stands at 73 meters (240 ft) tall.

(Photo : NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Lockheed Martin)
Bennu, a well-preserved, ancient asteroid, is currently more than 200 million miles (321 million kilometers) from Earth and offers scientists a window into the early solar system as it was first taking shape billions of years ago and flinging ingredients that could have helped seed life on Earth.

Should We Worry?

That distance pales in comparison to the closest known near-Earth object flyby (at least one that did not slam into the planet), which occurred on Aug. 16, 2020. Asteroid 2020 QG flew barely 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers) above the Indian Ocean, according to Space.com. These insignificant space pebbles pose no threat to life on Earth.

Asteroid 2008 GO20 is potentially hazardous because it is so close to the Earth (approximately 2.8 million miles, or 4.5 million kilometers). However, because the distance between Earth and the moon is nearly 20 times that between Earth and the moon, this is not a substantial risk.

This is not the first time the 2008 GO20 has paid a visit to Earth. According to NASA statistics, the asteroid came closest to our planet on Aug. 4, 1901, when it swung to a distance of 806,856 miles (1.3 million km). On July 31, 1935, it flew by Earth at a distance of 1.15 million miles (1.85 million kilometers). On July 24, 2034, 2008 GO20 will fly past Earth again, getting as close as 3.1 million miles (5 million km).

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According to NASA, the Earth is regarded as fully safe from asteroids for the next century. In truth, asteroids routinely pass close to the Earth. Another asteroid, 2019 YM6, will approach the planet on July 31. This one will be considerably larger than 2008 GO20 but will be even farther away.

However, gravitational drags can change an object's path. Thus there is still a risk of hazard. With a mass of roughly 18,000 miles per hour (29,000 kilometers per hour) and a speed of around 18,000 miles per hour (29,000 kilometers per hour), the asteroid might cause significant damage if it collided with the globe.

How NASA Could Prevent Near-Earth Collision

The threat of a near-Earth collision remains one of the deadliest natural disasters that could strike the Earth, as humanity lacks the resources to combat it.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission, proposed by NASA and the Applied Physics Lab at John Hopkins University, would see a spaceship basically "punch" an asteroid to deflect it, modifying the trajectory ever so slightly to shift its course.

This project will be put to the test soon, on an asteroid far from Earth. However, Airbus has offered a more urgent alternative, which would see TV satellites basically hijacked and repurposed to deflect an asteroid - and this system could be ready and launched in a matter of months.

Regardless, NASA and other organizations maintain a close eye on the sky for any approaching asteroids, using special "asteroid hunter" telescopes.