NASA Asteroid Tracker: Will 1,870ft NEO Collide With Earth Tomorrow?

NASA has spotted the biggest asteroid that will approach Earth this month. According to the agency’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) is bigger than the Taipei 101 skyscraper.

CNEOS has identified the massive asteroid as 2006 QQ23. As indicated in the agency’s tracking database, the asteroid is currently traveling with a velocity of 10,400 miles per hour. It is estimated to have a diameter of around 1,870 feet.

Given its massive size, the approaching asteroid is almost four times larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.

The agency predicted that 2006 QQ23 will fly past Earth on Aug. 10 at 3:23 am EDT. During its approach, the asteroid is expected to be about 0.04977 astronomical units or roughly 4.6 million miles from the Earth’s center.

CNEOS has classified 2006 QQ23 as an Aten asteroid. This means that as it orbits the Sun, its path intersects with that of Earth from time to time. This usually happens when the asteroid approaches its farthest point from the Sun.

Due to 2006 QQ23’s close-intersections with the orbit of Earth, it has been labeled by CNEOS as potentially hazardous. This indicates that 2006 QQ23 is a dangerous asteroid that can threaten Earth.

“Potentially hazardous asteroids are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth,” CNEOS stated.

“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,” the agency added.

While it is considered "potentially hazardous," the asteroid will not post any threat to Earth this time around. It will be flying at a safe distance from the planet. The Earth's moon is 238,900 miles away, so 2006 QQ23's 4.6 million miles distance will keep it from colliding with the Earth.

2006 QQ23 was first observed on Aug. 21, 2006. According to CNEOS’ observations, the asteroid frequently visits the neighborhoods of Earth and Venus. The last time the asteroid flew close to Earth was on Jan. 17, 2017. During this time, 2006 QQ23 approached the planet from a distance of 0.40781 astronomical units or around 38 million miles away.

The asteroid is expected to return to Earth’s vicinity on Feb. 15, 2022. CNEOS predicted that 2006 QQ23 will be about 0.40769 astronomical units or roughly 38 million miles from Earth during its approach three years from now.