Are you aware that there are various space objects existing in our solar system that can be a potential threat to Earth? Asteroids are the most worrisome of them all. Asteroids are the space rocks that orbit around the Sun. Because of their erratic orbits, they can threaten Earth. That is why the monitoring and tracking of asteroids that stray near Earth is extremely important. NASA tracks and monitors asteroids in order to prevent any potential danger to Earth. Whenever NASA’s telescopes observe a new Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), astronomers measure its positions in the sky and report them to the Minor Planet Center.
Now, NASA is tracking one such asteroid named Asteroid 2023 QD2 that is speeding toward Earth. Learn more about this asteroid below.
Asteroid 2023 QD2 approaching Earth
NASA has designated this upcoming asteroid as 2023 QD2. This asteroid is hurtling towards Earth and it is likely to approach Earth on August 29, 2023. This is a house-sized asteroid and is estimated to have a width of 46 Feet. The asteroid 2023 QD2 belongs the Aten family of asteroids. Aten group of asteroids are Earth-crossing Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) with semi-major axes smaller than Earth’s. These asteroids were designated after asteroid 2062 Aten. This asteroid was first discovered by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at Palomar Observatory on January 7, 1976. Asteroid 2023 QD was first observed on August 18, 2023.
Closest approach
The closest approach of asteroid 2023 QD2 towards the Earth is estimated to be 0.782 million km. This asteroid is moving rapidly in the direction of the Earth at a speed of 27970 Km per hour.
Is Asteroid 2023 QD a potential threat?
According to NASA, asteroid 2023 QD is not a potential threat to the Earth even though it will come very close to Earth. NASA terms asteroids as ‘Potentially Hazardous’ if they come within 7.5 million kilometers of Earth and have a size bigger than 150 meters.