NASA: There’s A ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Asteroid Lunging Towards Earth

January 19, 2018

Photo: Getty

Unless you’re an astrophysics nerd you’ve likely never heard of ‘2002 AJ129.’ Unfortunately it’s not a spacecraft from Star Wars. It’s an asteroid currently hurtling dangerously close to Earth. And NASA is keeping a close eye on it.

So what makes this asteroid so scary? AJ129 is labeled as a “potentially hazardous” object because it’s about a quarter mile larger than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest building. It’s also 0.7 miles wide and traveling at 67,000 miles per hour. If it were to hit Earth it would likely put the planet into an ice age.

Just look at what this one-ton meteorite did over Michigan this past week as it disintegrated entering the atmosphere. Its explosion sent a shockwave measuring a magnitude 2.0.

The flash of light that lit the night sky in Michigan on Tuesday is likely a meteor, the National Weather Service says https://t.co/097sAJl5zJ pic.twitter.com/PMwpSz6GbC

— CNN (@CNN) January 17, 2018

Okay, so are you ready for the good news? Unless some unforeseen dark matter changes the rock’s trajectory, it appears it won’t hit Earth when it’s expected to pass by on February 4. As of right now, scientists have AJ129 coming within 2.5 million miles of contact with the globe, about 11 times the distance between the Earth and the moon.

So instead of picking up the phone to call the Armageddon crew, grab some popcorn and a telescope in two weeks.

Still, Steve Buscemi, you’re on standby!

And speaking of asteroids: Dinosaurs Would Still Be Roaming The Earth Today If That Darn Asteroid Had Hit Elsewhere

Josh Helmuth is a sports guy and a contributor for Mandatory.

Josh is originally from the small berg of Arthur, Ill, proudly the Amish capital of the state. It also has one hell of a pumpkin patch.

Josh has enjoyed dipping his toes into a variety of careers since graduating from the University of Alabama, the most rewarding thus far having served as a youth director in southern California for four years, and his broadcasting career which has garnered two Emmy awards and three Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Josh enjoys loud rock music, Tom Hanks movies, dogs that like to cuddle and long runs. He is also always in search for America's greatest cheeseburger. Follow him here if you would like to be friends!