A giant asteroid AJ129 is expected to pass close to the Earth on February 4, 2018, say scientists at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). If the 1.1 Km potentially hazardous asteroid hits the Earth than it will be cold and dark for years of misery across the planet. Reports hinting rapture and the end of the world are making rounds on the internet. They are claiming it to be a ‘Doomsday’.

But NASA reassures to the public that there is nothing to worry about. They have confirmed that the asteroid 2002 AJ129 is not going to hit the Earth, instead it will fly by, at a distance of 2.6 million miles. NASA has explained when AJ129 passes closest to the planet next month, it will be at 10 times the distance between the moon and the Earth. And while the headlines are comparing it to the world’s tallest building, it could be as big as two-thirds of a mile across or as small as about 500 yards.

Asteroid 2002 AJ129, is said to be biggest space rock to whiz pass this year.

 

Paul Chodas, Manager, Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA in California stated that the space agency has been tracking the asteroid since its discovery in the year 2002.

As of now, scientists have established that the asteroid does not pose any threat to our planet. It will fly past Earth safely irrespective of its close distance. Scientists have further assured that till now they have identified more than 800 asteroids of a certain size that are again expected to fly by closely, but they do not pose any immediate threat to our planet. These asteroids are therefore classified by NASA as “potentially hazardous”. None of them are predicted to hit us.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2018 01:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).