Asteroid Danger? 1.5 Mile Long Mega Space Rock that Could Hit Earth Coming This Way TODAY

A MONSTER asteroid that astronomers fear could smash into Earth, with potentially world-changing effects is TODAY heading our way.

The up to 1.5-mile long mass of rock and metal is making a “close approach” according to US space agency NASA.

Although, set to pass us at a very safe distance this time, there are fears among astronomers that it could return in just 12 years, in October 2028, and create an extinction level event.

According to NASA’s upcoming list of “close approaches” the asteroid called 1997 XF11 will be 70 times the distance between Earth and the Moon – 16.7million miles when it passes.

But, due to its size, it is still classed as a near-earth asteroid, due to orbital uncertainties, and the fact that in terms of cosmological dimensions the distance remains a cat’s whisker.

The rock is estimated as anything from 0.7 miles to 1.5miles in length and is travelling at 21,854mph.

If it struck it could destroy a whole continent or potentially wipe out life on the planet.

But 1997 XF11 will return to Earth in 2028, passing at just 588,000 miles – with MUCH UNCERTAINTY over its orbit.

A tiny deflection from another near earth asteroid – and NASA only knows the positions of 10 percent of these – could spark the end of planet Earth as we know it.

1997 XF11 is also known as a Mars crosser asteroid, meaning it crosses the path of the Red Planet.

NASA is currently looking at ways to deflect an asteroid of such a size if it were ever on a direct collision course with us.

But the agency admits it currently only knows where less than 10 percent of all near Earth asteroids that could threaten us are.

Two smaller asteroids, that were only discovered days ago, passed the planet alarmingly close yesterday.

The two to eight metre long 2016 LP10 was closest at just 48,000 miles – around a fifth of the distance to the moon.

The bigger up to 23-metre long 2016 LE10 travelled by at around 280,000 miles from us.