Current estimates indicate that the asteroid named 2006 QQ23 is 1,870 feet in diameter, 400 feet larger than the height of the Empire State Building. According to NASA’S Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the massive rock will make its pass by earth on August 10. It will make its closest approach at a distance of about 4.6 million miles. At its current trajectory, the asteroid is expected to cross over Earth’s orbit lines after the planet has already passed it meaning the asteroid will not make contact. If an asteroid of this size was to collide with the Earth it would result in widespread “devastations.”
If the asteroid would land in the ocean it would cause large tsunamis that would impact the surrounding area. Or, in a land impact, it could completely destroy an entire city resulting in massive death toll numbers. Possibly it would change the climate of the planet for years to come. Scientists are currently tracking 20,000 Near-Earth Objects, with around 30 new discoveries every week. The Asteroid 2006 QQ23 was spotted back in 2006 and is traveling at a speed of 10,400 mph (16,737 kmph).
