×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Friday
02
Jan 2026
weather symbol
Athens 10°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

Largest planet-killer asteroid to approach Earth this month arriving on…Saturday!

NASA spots a planet-killer asteroid approaching Earth & it is big enough to cause a major impact event...

Newsroom February 15 12:30

A potentially hazardous asteroid that’s big enough to trigger a nuclear winter and mass extinction events on Earth following a collision will intersect the planet’s path this weekend. According to the data collected by NASA, the approaching asteroid is larger than the tallest man-made structure in the world.

NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has identified the incoming asteroid as 163373 (2002 PZ39). As indicated in CNEOS’ database, this asteroid is currently traveling toward Earth at a speed of almost 34,000 miles per hour.

CNEOS estimated that 163373 (2002 PZ39) has a diameter of around 3,250 feet, making it significantly bigger than the Burj Dubai, which is currently the tallest building in the world. Given its incredible size, 163373 (2002 PZ39) will be the biggest asteroid to approach Earth this month.

>Related articles

Mount Etna erupts again – watch videos and photos of the lava flows

Argentina: Milei wants to found an “alliance to fight the cancer of socialism and woke ideology”

“We know nothing about Alice; I wanted to go in to look for her but they wouldn’t let me”: The brother of the missing 15-year-old Greek girl speaks to Proto Thema

According to CNEOS, 163373 (2002 PZ39) is an Apollo asteroid, which means it is known to intersect Earth’s path around the Sun from time to time. Due to its dangerous orbit and massive size, approaching space rock has been labeled as a potentially hazardous asteroid.

“Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth,” NASA explained in a statement.

Read more: ibtimes

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#asteroid#Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS)#earth#hazardous#impact#nasa#Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs)#science#space#technology#world
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Emily Ratajkowski in Athens with Romain Gavras

January 2, 2026

Tragedy in Crans-Montana: 119 injured, 113 identified, 40 dead, say Swiss authorities

January 2, 2026

Student in Xanthi loses a finger after a flare explodes in his hand: He is also at risk of losing his eyesight

January 2, 2026

Hatzidakis: €3.8 billion have been given to farmers in 2025 – They have no excuse not to come to the dialogue

January 2, 2026

Mount Etna erupts again – watch videos and photos of the lava flows

January 2, 2026

ELSTAT: Unemployment fell to 8.2% in November 2025

January 2, 2026

Argentina: Milei wants to found an “alliance to fight the cancer of socialism and woke ideology”

January 2, 2026

“We know nothing about Alice; I wanted to go in to look for her but they wouldn’t let me”: The brother of the missing 15-year-old Greek girl speaks to Proto Thema

January 2, 2026
All News

> World

Tragedy in Crans-Montana: 119 injured, 113 identified, 40 dead, say Swiss authorities

The 113 injured have been identified – Forty dead according to the latest update from the Swiss – Flags at half-mast at all Swiss embassies worldwide

January 2, 2026

Mount Etna erupts again – watch videos and photos of the lava flows

January 2, 2026

Argentina: Milei wants to found an “alliance to fight the cancer of socialism and woke ideology”

January 2, 2026

“We are ready for action”: Trump says the US will intervene if Iran violently suppresses protests

January 2, 2026

France: More than 1,000 cars burned on New Year’s Eve

January 2, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα