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RESTRICTIONS: Broadcast: NO USE JAPAN, NO USE TAIWAN Digital: NO USE JAPAN, NO USE TAIWAN A large asteroid traveling through space at tens of thousands of miles per hour is going to pass by our planet on Tuesday.

NASA's asteroid trackers have been monitoring asteroid 2013 MD8 since its discovery in 2013.

The space rock measures between 128 to 282 feet, making it nearly as tall as London's Big Ben.

Asteroid 2013 MD8 is classified as a Near Earth Object.

These are asteroids and comets composed of water ice and embedded dust particles, which are nudged by gravitational attraction into a trajectory that allows them to cut into Earth's orbit.

NASA announced that the asteroid will pass Earth on February 19, at 12:55 p.m.

Eastern Standard Time, while traveling at a speed of 30,418 miles per hour.

At its closest, 2013 MD8 will be 0.0387 astronomical units from Earth, or roughly 15.1 lunar distances.

According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the space rock's next close approach to Earth won't be until January 28, 2022.

RUNDOWN SHOWS: 1.

Asteroid 2013 MD8 nearly as tall as Big Ben 2.

Description of Near Earth Objects 3.

Asteroid 2013 MD8 trajectory and speed 4.

Asteroid's closest distance to Earth VOICEOVER (in English): "NASA's asteroid trackers have been monitoring asteroid 2013 MD8 since its discovery in 2013.

The space rock measures between 128 to 282 feet, making it nearly as tall as London's Big Ben." "Asteroid 2013 MD8 is classified as a Near Earth Object.

These are asteroids and comets composed of water ice and embedded dust particles, which are nudged by gravitational attraction into a trajectory that allows them to cut into Earth's orbit." "NASA announced that the asteroid will pass Earth on February 19, at 12:55 p.m.

Eastern Standard Time, while traveling at a speed of 30,418 miles per hour." "At its closest, 2013 MD8 will be 0.0387 astronomical units from Earth, or roughly 15.1 lunar distances." SOURCES: NASA https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/849/moon-missive/ https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2013%20MD8;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=1#cad https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/about/basics.html *** For story suggestions please contact tips@nextanimation.com.tw For technical and editorial support, please contact: Asia: +61 2 93 73 1841 Europe: +44 20 7542 7599 Americas and Latam: +1 800 738 8377