Massive 150-foot wide asteroid approaching Earth on April 6, cautions NASA

While most asteroids burn up as soon as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere, some larger asteroids after entering the planet may cause severe damage to human life. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recently suggested that the Earth might have a relatively close encounter with five asteroids making their closest approaches to the planet in the coming days. 

According to NASA, two of the asteroids were about to make their closest approaches to the planet on Monday, April 3. However, no official confirmation has been made on the matter as of now. 

This comes after NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory noted that Earth might witness some close encounters with asteroids in the coming days. According to NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard, which tracks asteroids and comets, here are the next asteroid approaches:

Asteroid 2023 FU6: According to NASA’s dashboard, a small 45-foot asteroid was to make its closest approach to Earth on April 3 at a distance of 1,870,000 km.

Asteroid 2023 FS11: The 82-foot aeroplane-sized asteroid was about to fly past Earth by a close margin of 6,610,000 km on April 3. 

Asteroid 2023 FA7: On April 4, a 92-foot asteroid the size of an aeroplane will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 2,250,000 km.

Asteroid 2023 FQ7: A 65-foot house-sized asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 5,750,000 km on April 5. 

Asteroid 2023 FZ3: The largest asteroid among the all mentioned, which is the size of an aeroplane is expected to pass by the Earth on April 6. The 150-foot-wide rock is approaching the earth at a speed of 67,656 mph and will make its closest approach to Earth at a distance of 4,190,000 km. However, the asteroid is not termed threatening to the planet and does not have the potential to cause harm. 

What is an asteroid?

Asteroids are left over from the formation of our solar system. They are the rocky remnants of material leftover from the formation of the solar system and its planets approximately 4.6 billion years ago. Asteroids orbit the sun in "elliptical" circles, often rotating erratically, tumbling and falling through space.