Mumbai, May 09: Space organisations often issue asteroid alarms and cautions, but this time the size of the asteroid that is hurtling towards Earth at a breakneck speed is unusual and might result in significant damage if it makes impact with our planet.

The asteroid 2023 HG1, which is about the size of a New Delhi flat, has prompted a warning from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the official space agency of the United States. Asteroid Warning! NASA Issues Alert As Three Asteroids Approaching Earth Today; Know If They Will Strike Our Planet. 

At a speed of 7200 KMPH (2 km/s), the asteroid 2023 HG1 is heading straight towards Earth. It is around 60 feet tall. This magnitude of asteroid might cause significant death tolls, possibly even the mass extinction of human and animal species.

Although the asteroid is large and moving at a high speed, NASA has said that it presents no threat to the planet Earth and will fly by on May 9 at a safe distance of 4.16 million kilometres.

Asteroid 2023 HG1 is a member of the Apollo group of near-Earth objects, which mostly consists of large asteroids and space rocks. Every 402 days, the asteroid completes an orbit about the Sun that takes it up to 173 million kilometres from the star and as near as 145 million kilometres from it.

In order to give you a sense of how far away the asteroid will be as it flies by the Earth, its total distance will be over 4 million kilometres, which is more than 10 times more than the distance between the Earth and the moon, keeping it safely away from us. Doomsday Coming? Two Giant Asteroids Hurtling Towards Earth at Breakneck Speed, Warns NASA; Know If They Will Hit Our Planet. 

Asteroid 2023 HT6, another member of the same group, is anticipated to speed by the Earth shortly at a safe distance as well. It is more than 7.5 million kilometres away from our planet.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 09, 2023 02:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).