A stadium-sized asteroid named 2024 ON is expected to pass by Earth at high speed on September 17, 2024, as per a warning issued by NASA.
It has a diameter of 950 feet and is reported to be twice the length of two cricket pitches. The celestial object was initially spotted by NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Observations Program.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, is monitoring it with advanced radar and optical telescopes. Researchers are examining its size, shape, and composition to evaluate potential risks and consider mitigation strategies if necessary.
Despite the celestial body’s notable trajectory, speed and size, NASA experts reassure the public that the chance of a collision is extremely low.
The Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) reportedly highlighted the importance of tracking such threats to safeguard Earth.
Moreover, NASA is working alongside the European Space Agency (ESA) and other international partners to understand the asteroid. This global collaboration focuses on analyzing its composition, which could offer insights into the early development of our solar system.
The effort underscores the importance of international cooperation in planetary defense and space exploration. NASA is committed to keeping the public updated through its website and social media channels. Meanwhile, skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a chance to observe the asteroid’s approach, with live coverage from the Virtual Telescope Project.
The telescope first captured the object on September 9, 2024 while it was speeding at around 40,000 km/hr. As per NASA’s data, the celestial object last appeared in 2013 while it is expected to appear again in 2025.
The asteroid is reported to first pass the moon
A Times of India report from September 17, 2024 mentioned that the celestial object will first pass the moon at 06:01 UTC and then the earth at 10:19 UTC. It will travel at a speed of 8.88 km/s.
With a closest approach distance of 2.6 times the average distance to the moon, asteroid 2024 ON presents no threat to Earth based on its current path. However, even a minor deviation in its trajectory could have significant implications.
The asteroid is remarkably large, 99 percent bigger than other near-Earth objects, but it will be too distant to be seen without a telescope. On the same day as its nearest approach to Earth, observers will instead witness a rare partial lunar eclipse that coincides with a supermoon full Moon.
The celestial event will be visible across Europe and Africa, and can also be seen in parts of North and South America, as well as Asia. Later this month, a smaller asteroid will briefly become a "mini-moon" as it will reportedly enter Earth's orbit for two months.
The 2024 PT5 heavenly object, which measures just 10 meters in diameter, was once a part of the Moon, according to a recent study published in the scientific journal Research Notes of the AAS. It will stay within Earth’s orbit from September 29 to November 25, as reported in the study.
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