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NASA Flags ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Stadium-Sized Asteroid Approaching Earth
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is closely monitoring a large asteroid classified as ‘potentially hazardous’ that will pass relatively close to Earth on Tuesday.
Details of Asteroid 2024 ON
Named 2024 ON, this asteroid measures approximately 350 meters long and 180 meters wide—comparable to 1,150 feet by 590 feet. These dimensions make it larger than earlier estimates suggested, leading NASA to describe it as ‘stadium-sized’.
Distance and Frequency of Close Approaches
As of Tuesday morning, 2024 ON is reported to be about 621,000 miles away from Earth—a distance that is considered relatively close in terms of celestial mechanics. Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, noted that objects of this size passing this closely to Earth is a rare event, occurring only once every five to ten years.
Historical Context of Large Asteroids
Farnocchia further pointed out that the last significant meteor event occurred in 2013 over Russia. Since then, Earth has not encountered an asteroid of similar size to 2024 ON. Notably, impacts of such large asteroids are rare, with the last significant one dating back to prehistoric times.
No Immediate Threat to Earth
Despite the asteroid being classified as ‘potentially hazardous,’ Farnocchia assured that there is no risk of collision with Earth. For 2024 ON to pose any threat, it would need to approach within a couple of hundred miles, a scenario that will not occur with this asteroid.
“We actively monitor the potential for collisions not only for the short term but also over the next hundred years,” he explained. “Currently, there is no possibility of a collision in that timeframe.”
Other Asteroids in the Near Future
2024 ON is one of five asteroids that are set to pass close to Earth within a two-day span. However, the other four will remain significantly farther away, ranging from 1.1 to 3.9 million miles from our planet. Among these, three of the smaller asteroids are about 51 feet in diameter, which is roughly the size of an average house.
Additional Notable Asteroids
Among these five space rocks, 2013 FW13 stands out, measuring approximately 510 feet in diameter. It is scheduled to pass by Earth on Wednesday.
NASA’s Monitoring Tools
NASA employs its Asteroid Watch Dashboard to track asteroids and comets making close approaches to Earth. The dashboard provides real-time data, including the estimated date of closest approach, the size of the object, and its distance from Earth.
According to the dashboard, 2024 ON was traveling at a speed of about 8.8 kilometers per second, which translates to nearly 20,000 miles per hour.
The tool offers critical information about near-Earth objects, defining any object larger than approximately 150 meters that approaches within 4.6 million miles as ‘potentially hazardous.’
A Safe Cosmic Reminder
The ongoing monitoring of asteroids like 2024 ON serves as a vital reminder of our planet’s place in the cosmos. While this asteroid poses no direct threat, its close approach highlights the importance of continuous vigilance in tracking near-Earth objects. As technology advances, humanity’s ability to predict and respond to celestial events improves, securing a safer future for our planet.
