A potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) that’s currently headed for Earth has been detected by NASA. According to the agency’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the approaching asteroid is taller than the Golden Gate Bridge towers.

The asteroid has been identified by CNEOS as 454094 2013 BZ45. As indicated in the agency’s asteroid database, the space rock is currently traveling at a speed of 18,200 miles per hour and has an estimated diameter of around 820 feet. Given its size, the asteroid is almost twice as tall as the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

According to CNEOS, the asteroid will fly past Earth on Aug. 11 at 8:14 pm EDT. During its approach, it will be about 0.04352 astronomical units or roughly 4 million miles from Earth’s center.

454094 2013 BZ45 has been identified as an Apollo asteroid. Like other Apollo asteroids, 454094 2013 BZ45 has a very wide orbit that covers both the Sun and Earth. As it goes through its path around these cosmic bodies, it intersects with the orbit of Earth at certain points.

Due to the closeness of the asteroid’s intersection with Earth’s orbit, it was classified by CNEOS as potentially hazardous. According to the agency, these kinds of asteroids are capable of approaching Earth at a very dangerous distance.

“Potentially hazardous asteroids are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth,” CNEOS said in a statement. “Specifically, all asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance of 0.05 [astronomical units] or less and an absolute magnitude of 22.0 or less are considered PHAs.”

454094 2013 BZ45 was first observed on Jan. 19, 2013. According to CNEOS, the last time the asteroid approached Earth was on July 29, 2018. During this time, the asteroid flew at a distance of 0.10267 astronomical units or roughly 9.5 million miles from the planet.

After its visit this week, the asteroid is expected to return to Earth’s neighborhood on Aug. 27, 2021. By this time, the asteroid will be at a much safer distance of 0.29651 astronomical units or about 27 million miles from Earth’s center.

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Pictured; an artistic illustration of an asteroid flying by Earth. NASA
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