An asteroid, given the designation of Asteroid 2023 QK5, is on its way towards Earth and could make its closest approach to the planet tomorrow, August 29. As per the details published by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), Asteroid 2023 QK5 is expected to make its closest approach to the planet at a distance of just 1.5 million kilometers, and at a speed of 24548 kilometers per hour, which is almost the speed of a space shuttle
It belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth’s
Due to its small size, Asteroid 2023 QK5 has not been classified as a Potentially Hazardous Object. With a width of around 37 feet, this space rock can be compared to a bus. As per NASA, only asteroids larger than 492 feet are considered potentially hazardous. However, it is important to note that even such small asteroids can cause damage if they impact the surface. It is evident by the Chelyabinsk meteor, which was just 59 feet wide, but destroyed over 7000 buildings and left 1200 people injured as it exploded over the Russian city in 2013.