A tiny asteroid with potential danger will skim past Earth's orbit on Friday.

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Named 2015 FF, the asteroid measures approximately 13 to 28 meters in diameter, or about the length of a mature blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), and will zoom past Earth at a speed of 33,012 km/h.

At its closest approach, the asteroid - moving at 27 times the speed of sound - will come within about 4.3 million km of Earth, over 8 times the average distance between Earth and the Moon. By cosmic standards, this is a small margin.

NASA flags any space object within 193 million km of Earth as a 'near-Earth object,' and any fast-moving object within a range of 7.5 million km is classified as 'potentially hazardous.'

Once flagged, astronomers closely monitor these objects, searching for any deviations from their predicted orbits - such as an unexpected collision from another asteroid - which could lead to a catastrophic collision with Earth.

NASA has mapped the positions and orbits of around 28,000 asteroids, charted with the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) - a network of four telescopes capable of scanning the entire night sky once every 24 hours.

Since its online debut in 2017, ATLAS has spotted over 700 near-Earth asteroids and 66 comets. Two of the asteroids discovered by ATLAS, 2019 MO and 2018 LA, actually collided with Earth, with one exploding off the coast of southern Puerto Rico and the other landing near the border of Botswana and South Africa. Fortunately, these asteroids were small and caused no damage.

NASA has projected the orbits of all near-Earth objects through the end of the century, and the good news is Earth isn't facing any imminent danger from an asteroid impact for at least the next 100 years, according to NASA.

However, this doesn't mean space watchers think they should stop their work. There are still plenty of recent asteroid impacts to show that vigilance must continue.

For instance, in March 2021, a bowling ball-sized meteor exploded over Vermont with the force equivalent to 200 kg of TNT. However, those fireworks were unrelated to the most recent meteor explosion event, which occurred near the city of Chelyabinsk, central Russia, in 2013.

When the Chelyabinsk meteor entered the atmosphere, it created an explosion equivalent to about 400 to 500 kilotons of TNT, or 26 to 33 times the energy released by the Hiroshima bomb. The fireballs rained down on the city and surrounding areas, damaging buildings, shattering windows, and injuring around 1,200 people.

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According to Live Science

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the size and speed of asteroid 2015 FF as it approaches Earth?

Asteroid 2015 FF measures approximately 13 to 28 meters in diameter and will travel past Earth at a speed of 33,012 km/h. At its closest approach, it will come within 4.3 million km of Earth, significantly more than the average distance to the Moon.

How does NASA classify near-Earth objects and their potential hazards?

NASA classifies any space object within 193 million km of Earth as a 'near-Earth object' and any fast-moving object within 7.5 million km as 'potentially hazardous.' They monitor these objects closely for any changes in their predicted orbits to prevent potential collisions.

What is the purpose of the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS)?

The ATLAS system is designed to map the positions and orbits of asteroids, utilizing a network of telescopes that can scan the entire night sky every 24 hours. Since its launch in 2017, ATLAS has identified over 700 near-Earth asteroids and 66 comets.

Are there any imminent asteroid threats to Earth according to NASA projections?

No, NASA projects that Earth is not facing any imminent danger from asteroid impacts for at least the next 100 years. However, ongoing vigilance is necessary due to past asteroid impacts that demonstrate the need for continued monitoring.