In Pics: Asteroid alert! 120-foot space rock heading for Earth today, Sept 23

Asteroid danger again! NASA has again issued an asteroid alert for a space rock which is hurtling towards Earth at a staggering speed. The asteroid is all set to make a close approach to Earth today, but will it impact the planet? Know what NASA has to say.

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NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office is responsible for monitoring the skies and keeping a watch on various Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). If any celestial object is at risk of Earth impact, it red flags and issues the alert. The Asteroid 2022 SW3 has also been red flagged by NASA and has been classified as a Potentially Hazardous Object. (Pixabay)

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1/6 NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office is responsible for monitoring the skies and keeping a watch on various Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). If any celestial object is at risk of Earth impact, it red flags and issues the alert. The Asteroid 2022 SW3 has also been red flagged by NASA and has been classified as a Potentially Hazardous Object. (Pixabay)

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NASA classifies objects as Potentially Hazardous Objects due to the close proximity of their encounter with Earth. If any celestial object moves within 8 million kilometers of Earth, NASA issues an alert. (Pixabay)

2/6 NASA classifies objects as Potentially Hazardous Objects due to the close proximity of their encounter with Earth. If any celestial object moves within 8 million kilometers of Earth, NASA issues an alert. (Pixabay)

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According to NASA, Asteroid 2022 SW3 will fly closely past Earth today, September 23. The asteroid is expected to make its closest approach to Earth today at a distance of 2.7 million kilometers. It is already on its way towards Earth at a speed of 31,284 kilometers per hour. (Pixabay)

3/6 According to NASA, Asteroid 2022 SW3 will fly closely past Earth today, September 23. The asteroid is expected to make its closest approach to Earth today at a distance of 2.7 million kilometers. It is already on its way towards Earth at a speed of 31,284 kilometers per hour. (Pixabay)

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Asteroid 2022 SW3 was discovered very recently on September 20, 2022 and it belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids. According to the-sky.org, the asteroid completes 1 orbit around the Sun in just 245 days. During this orbit, its farthest distance from the Sun is 154 million kilometers while the nearest distance is 75 million kilometers. (Pixabay)

4/6 Asteroid 2022 SW3 was discovered very recently on September 20, 2022 and it belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids. According to the-sky.org, the asteroid completes 1 orbit around the Sun in just 245 days. During this orbit, its farthest distance from the Sun is 154 million kilometers while the nearest distance is 75 million kilometers. (Pixabay)

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These past months have seen a sudden increase in the frequency of asteroid flybys. However, people will be relieved to know that none of them will be any potentially “world-ending” asteroids. In fact, such an asteroid is not expected for at least a century or more, according to Davide Farnocchia of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Studies Center. (NASA)

5/6 These past months have seen a sudden increase in the frequency of asteroid flybys. However, people will be relieved to know that none of them will be any potentially “world-ending” asteroids. In fact, such an asteroid is not expected for at least a century or more, according to Davide Farnocchia of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Studies Center. (NASA)

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NASA tech behind asteroid tracking: NASA keeps a watch on these asteroids by studying data collected by various telescopes and observatories such as the Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey and the NEOWISE telescope. NASA also has a NEO Surveyor mission planned for launch in 2026 to gain even greater in-depth data using a new orbiter. (NASA)

6/6 NASA tech behind asteroid tracking: NASA keeps a watch on these asteroids by studying data collected by various telescopes and observatories such as the Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey and the NEOWISE telescope. NASA also has a NEO Surveyor mission planned for launch in 2026 to gain even greater in-depth data using a new orbiter. (NASA)