NASA Identifies ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Stadium-Sized Asteroid Approaching Earth

NASA Identifies ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Stadium-Sized Asteroid Approaching Earth

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is closely monitoring a large asteroid, designated 2024 ON, as it makes its way past Earth on Tuesday. This celestial object has been classified as “potentially hazardous,” drawing attention from scientists and the public alike.

Dimensions and Distance of the Asteroid

NASA reported that asteroid 2024 ON measures 350 meters in length and 180 meters in width, approximately equivalent to 1,150 feet by 590 feet. This size exceeds previous estimations and has led NASA to consider it “stadium-sized.” As of Tuesday morning, the asteroid was recorded to be about 621,000 miles away from Earth, a distance categorized as relatively close in astronomical terms.

Rare Close Encounters

Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, noted that large asteroids passing this close to Earth occurs once every five to ten years. He emphasized the rarity of such encounters, explaining that a significant meteor, similar in size to 2024 ON, last entered Earth’s atmosphere in Russia in 2013. Since then, no meteors of this magnitude have impacted the Earth, suggesting that such events are extremely uncommon.

Safety Assessment of Asteroid 2024 ON

Despite its “potentially hazardous” classification, Farnocchia assured the public there is no risk of asteroid 2024 ON colliding with Earth. He clarified that for an object to pose a threat, it would need to approach within a couple of hundred miles. In fact, he stated, “We actually check for the possibility of collision not just for the immediate future, but also for the next hundred years,” reinforcing the asteroid’s safe passage.

Upcoming Asteroid Passes

Asteroid 2024 ON is not the only celestial body approaching Earth in the coming days. Over the next two days, four additional asteroids will also be passing by, albeit at greater distances. These other objects will range from 1.1 to 3.9 million miles away, with the majority measuring around 51 feet in diameter—the size of a typical house.

Tracking Asteroids with NASA’s Asteroid Watch Dashboard

NASA’s Asteroid Watch Dashboard plays a crucial role in tracking near-Earth objects. This tool is designed to monitor asteroids and comets that may make close approaches to our planet. According to available data, asteroid 2024 ON was traveling at an impressive speed of around 8.8 kilometers per second on Tuesday morning, which is nearly 20,000 miles per hour.

Understanding the Dashboard’s Functionality

The dashboard provides essential information, including the date of closest approach, approximate object diameter, relative size, and distance from Earth for each approaching asteroid. It focuses on objects that come within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometers or 19.5 times the distance to the moon). Furthermore, any object larger than about 150 meters that approaches this distance is categorized as a potentially hazardous object.

A Close Call: Understanding Asteroids

The monitoring of asteroids is not only crucial for planetary safety but also vital for scientific research. Such large celestial bodies can offer insights into the early solar system and potential future threats to Earth. As NASA continues its vigilance, the knowledge gained from these observations helps to prepare for larger threats.