NASA: Kilometer-Sized ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Asteroid Flying Past Earth On Thursday

NASA’s automated asteroid tracking system is currently monitoring a mountain-sized asteroid that’s approaching Earth. As indicated in the data collected by the agency, the approaching object is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid that’s following an Earth-crossing natural orbit.

The incoming asteroid has been identified by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) as 1997 BQ. This space rock is the biggest asteroid to approach Earth in May. According to CNEOS, it has an estimated diameter of 1.5 kilometers, which is equivalent to 4,921 feet.

Given its massive size, the asteroid is almost twice as big as the Burj Dubai skyscraper, which is the tallest man-made structure in the world.

As noted by CNEOS, 1997 BQ is currently moving across the Solar System and flying towards Earth at an incredible speed of over 42,000 miles per hour.

The approaching asteroid was first observed on Jan. 16, 1997. After analyzing its trajectory, NASA learned that the asteroid follows a wide orbit around the Sun. Its orbit takes the asteroid into the plane between Mars and Jupiter.

As it makes its way around the Sun, the asteroid occasionally intersects the path of Earth. Due to its Earth-crossing orbit, the asteroid has been labeled as a member of the Apollo family of space rocks.

The asteroid’s massive size and its near-Earth orbits are the main reasons why 1997 BQ is classified as a potentially hazardous object.

“Potentially hazardous asteroids are currently defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make threatening close approaches to the Earth,” NASA explained 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 [potentially hazardous asteroids].”

Fortunately, CNEOS noted that 1997 BQ is not in danger of colliding with the planet during its upcoming flyby. According to the agency, the asteroid will intersect Earth’s orbit on Thursday (May 21) at 4:45 p.m. EDT.

During this time, the asteroid will fly past the planet from a very safe distance. As noted by CNEOS, the asteroid will be about 0.04115 astronomical units or about 6.2 million kilometers from Earth’s center.