Bigger than Empire State Building, Asteroid 2006 QQ23 to pass by Earth today

Asteroid 2006 QQ23 which is estimated to be bigger than the Empire State Building of the United States, will pass by Earth on August 10. NASA’s Planetary Defence Coordination Office reports that the asteroid will be travelling at speeds of about 16,740 km per hour. It has an estimated diameter of up to 569 metres and will fly within 7.4 million kilometres from Earth. Since the asteroid is within 0.5 astronomical units of range, it has been declared hazardous. Although, it will not crash into Earth and is being considered ‘more or less benign’. The asteroid was first discovered in August 2006.