150-ft asteroid to get close to Earth on Thursday

A massive asteroid, which is the size of an aeroplane, is projected to pass by Earth on Thursday, April 6. The 150-feet-wide rock, which is hurtling towards Earth at a speed of 67,656 kmph, will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 41,90,000 km.

According to the US space agency NASA, Earth might have a relatively close encounter with five asteroids making their closest approaches to the planet in the coming days. NASA's 'Asteroid Watch' dashboard, which tracks asteroids and comets, has come up with the next asteroid approaches:

Here are the next asteroid approaches:

Asteroid 2023 FU6: A small 45-feet asteroid is making its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 18,70,000 km.

Asteroid 2023 FS11: The 82-feet aeroplane-sized asteroid will fly past Earth by a close margin of 66,10,000 km.

Asteroid 2023 FA7: A 92-feet asteroid the size of an aeroplane will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 22,50,000 km on April 4.

Asteroid 2023 FQ7: On April 5, a 65-feet house-sized asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 57,50,000 km.

Asteroid 2023 FZ3: The largest asteroid among the upcoming asteroids, which is the size of an aeroplane, is projected to pass by Earth on April 6. The 150-feet-wide rock which is hurtling towards Earth at a speed of 67,656 kmph will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 41,90,000 km. However, the asteroid is not a potentially hazardous threat to Earth.

What is an asteroid?

According to NASA, asteroids are left over from the formation of our solar system. Our solar system began about 4.6 billion years ago when a big cloud of gas and dust collapsed. When this happened, most of the material fell to the centre of the cloud and formed the sun. Some of the condensing dust in the cloud became planets while the asteroids keep loitering in and around the solar system.