The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has spotted a very large asteroid heading towards the Earth. The asteorid has been dubbed by NASA as 'potentially hazardous'. The agency says it could kill millions of people because of its size. The rock is named asteroid 52768 (1998 OR2). Scientists have forecast that the asteroid will make it's closest orbit to the earth on April 29.
NASA however said the asteroid will only make a 'close pass' with the Earth. It will be about 6 million kilometers close to the earth.
The NASA-tracked asteroid will pay a visit to Earth's corner of space on April 29 this year. Astronomers have named the object Asteroid 52768 (1998 OR2) and expect it to make what the US-based space agency know as a "close approach" of about 3.9 million miles (6.29 million km) from Earth.
A statement released by the US independent federal agency on its website claimed, "An asteroid which is big enough to end civilisation should it ever hit will make a close approach to our planet in April, NASA's asteroid trackers have found. The asteroid is listed by NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies' (CNEOS) in California, US. The asteroid has been officially called 52768 (1998 OR2) and is estimated measure up 2.5 miles (4.1km) across."
The issue of concern however that, according to NASA, the asteroid may actually collide with the earth in the distant future, and the effects could be devastating. The scientists say that orbital gravity of the the Mars and other planetary bodies may cause an asteroid to change trajectory and may be headed towards the earth for a collision.
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