Giant asteroid to make ‘close approach’ with Earth this week, NASA warns

A giant asteroid is on its way to closely fly past Earth this week, according to NASA. Around 200-450 metres wide, the astronomical rock is known as 2013 BO76. 

Scientists at NASA speculate that the rock will be travelling at a blistering speed of 50,000 kmph. Deemed as a “potentially hazardous” asteroid by NASA, the rock is expected to fly by Earth at a rather safe distance. 

The football stadium-sized asteroid will travel past Earth on Friday at a “close approach”, about 51 lakh kilometers away. 

The distance between the rock and Earth will be 13 times the distance between the moon and our home planet. 

While the term ‘close approach’ may terrify some, it is important to know that the term is often used relatively by astronomers when an asteroid makes a closer approach by the planet compared to other common astronomical bodies. In reality, these close approaches tend to be far away, surpassing the Earth-moon distance. 

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The asteroid has been featured among the space agency’s list of upcoming ‘Close Approaches’.

Asteroid BO76’s velocity is said to be 50,000 kmph during its close approach, according to NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). 

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On a regular basis, CNEOS consistently tracks spatial bodies in order to issue warnings in case an object comes closer to Earth. With asteroid BO76 approaching, the agency has guaranteed that the rock does not pose a threat of collision. It is quite common for small asteroids to fall from space. The last time a giant asteroid was a cause of concern was when it wiped out dinosaurs from the face of the planet. 

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Currently, NASA is formulating a technological advancement to alter the trajectory of an asteroid that could put the planet at risk in the foreseeable future.