Christmas Asteroid to Speed by Earth at 6.8 Million Miles

NASA has offered a sneak peek at an asteroid that will speed by Earth on Christmas Eve. The object, named asteroid 2003 SD220, will safely fly past Earth on Dec. 24 at a distance of 6.8 million miles.

"The radar images data suggest that asteroid 2003 SD220 is highly elongated and at least 3,600 feet in length," said Lance Benner of JPL in a news release. "The data acquired during this pass of the asteroid will help us plan for radar imaging during its upcoming closer approach in 2018."

In fact, three years from now the asteroid will safely pass by Earth again at a distance of 1.8 million miles. The 2018 flyby will be the closest that the asteroid will get to Earth until 2070, when it is expected to safely fly past our planet at a distance of about 1.7 million miles.

"There is no cause for concern over the upcoming flyby of asteroid 2003 SD220 this Christmas Eve," said Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Center for NEO Studies at JPL. "The closest this object will come to Santa and his eight tiny reindeer is about 28 times the distance between the Earth and the moon."

What the new findings do give, though, is a chance for scientists to get a better look at this asteroid with the help of radar imaging.

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