1007-foot asteroid speeding at 62723 kmph towards Earth, NASA warns

A colossal space rock is on its way to Earth and it is coming at a mind-numbing speed! NASA has alerted the public about the gigantic Asteroid 2006 HV5 that will come worryingly close to Earth on April 26. According to NASA, near-Earth asteroids refer to celestial objects that circle the Sun and come near the Earth’s orbit. If these asteroids collide with our planet, they can cause substantial damage depending on their size. To avoid potential collisions and damage, space agencies such as NASA and ESA carefully observe any Potentially Hazardous Objects. The latest is this Eiffel-Tower-sized asteroid that is speeding towards Earth. Should you worry? Know what NASA said.

Asteroid 2006 HV5 details

The asteroid has been named Asteroid 2006 HV5 by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. Asteroid 2006 HV5 will pass Earth on April 26, at a distance of 1.5 million miles, NASA’s CNEOS data revealed. In fact, it is presently hurtling towards the Earth, moving at a velocity of 62723 kilometers per hour.

What’s shocking about the asteroid is its colossal size. NASA has estimated Asteroid 2006 HV5 to be nearly 1007 feet, which is about the height of the Eiffel Tower, which measures 1083 feet. Asteroid 2006 HV5 belongs to the Aten group of asteroids.

Is it a potential threat to Earth? Yes! The space agency defines a potentially hazardous asteroid based on certain parameters. NASA’s JPL says that asteroids that come within 4.6 million miles and have a size larger than about 150 meters that can approach the Earth within this distance are termed potentially hazardous objects. Hence, Asteroid 2006 HV5 is flagged as a potentially hazardous object.

How NASA tracks these asteroids

It can be difficult to track these asteroids without the help of the latest technology. To detect the danger, NASA has established the NEO Observations Program, which is tasked with finding, tracking, and characterizing NEOs, and identifying those that may pose a hazard to Earth. NASA’s NEOWISE telescope is one of the well-known telescopes to hunt for asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth.