NASA has recently raised a high alert regarding a large asteroid that is expected to pass by Earth. The asteroid, named “2024 ON,” is one of several near-Earth objects (NEOs) being closely monitored by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as part of their ongoing efforts to track potentially hazardous objects in space. This alert is one of several issued by NASA, especially as multiple asteroids are scheduled to pass Earth this September.
Asteroid 2024 ON: A Stadium-Sized Space Rock
The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Asteroid Watch Dashboard issued the warning for the asteroid, which is set to pass by Earth on Tuesday, September 17. The asteroid, described as being “stadium-sized,” is estimated to be about 950 feet in diameter. NASA has placed a keen focus on this asteroid due to its significant size and proximity to Earth.
While the large asteroid will not pose any direct danger to Earth this time, it is expected to come relatively close, by astronomical standards. According to NASA, 2024 ON will pass at a distance of approximately 621,000 miles from Earth. To put this into perspective, this distance is roughly 2.5 times farther than the moon, which orbits about 239,000 miles away from Earth. Though this may seem like a great distance, NASA takes no chances when monitoring objects of this size, given the potential impact such a large body could have if its orbit ever shifted closer to Earth.
Four Additional Asteroids in the Alert
Along with 2024 ON, four other asteroids have also been flagged by NASA for close observation. These additional objects are considerably smaller than the main asteroid, but they are still noteworthy because of their size and proximity. Three of the four smaller asteroids are said to be roughly the size of houses, while the fourth is approximately the size of a building.
While these asteroids are not as large as 2024 ON, their potential to cause regional damage in the event of an impact makes them important to monitor. The approach of multiple asteroids in such a short time frame is a reminder of the constant activity in our solar system and the need for vigilant monitoring by agencies like NASA to protect Earth from potential threats.
NASA’s Asteroid Watch Dashboard and Potentially Hazardous Objects
The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory utilizes several tools and resources to monitor the paths of near-Earth objects. One of these tools is the Asteroid Watch Dashboard, which tracks the five most imminent Earth approaches by asteroids. According to the dashboard, the next five objects that will pass Earth will come within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometers) of our planet. This distance is roughly 19.5 times the distance between Earth and the moon.
NASA defines any object larger than 150 meters (about 492 feet) that approaches Earth within this distance as a “potentially hazardous object” (PHO). These objects are closely monitored because their size and proximity present a non-negligible risk in the future if their orbits shift closer to Earth. In the case of 2024 ON, its large size and proximity to Earth on this pass make it a focus of concern for NASA’s scientists, who are continually updating and refining their predictions of its orbit.
The Return of 2024 ON in 2035
While 2024 ON will pass by Earth on September 17 without incident, it is not the last time that this asteroid will come near our planet. According to NASA’s tracking, the asteroid first passed by Earth in 2013, and it is expected to make a return in 2035. This ongoing monitoring is critical for understanding the asteroid’s trajectory and ensuring that future passes remain safe.
The ability to track these asteroids over long periods is a testament to the advances in technology and observation techniques that have been made in recent decades. The 2035 return of 2024 ON will likely receive even more attention from NASA and other space agencies as they continue to refine their models and track any changes in its orbit.
NASA’s Study of Bennu and Other Near-Earth Objects
The current alert comes roughly a year after NASA reported that another asteroid, this one roughly the size of the Empire State Building, could potentially hit Earth in the distant future. This asteroid, known as Bennu, has been a subject of intense study by NASA, and it presents a different kind of challenge to planetary defense efforts.
Bennu is a near-Earth object that has been closely studied by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer) mission. The spacecraft, launched in 2016, was designed to gather samples from Bennu’s surface and bring them back to Earth for detailed analysis. Bennu, which was discovered in 1999, poses a slim but real risk of impacting Earth in the distant future.
NASA’s study of Bennu is critical because it helps scientists better understand the behavior of asteroids and the potential risk they pose to Earth. According to a 2021 study by the OSIRIS-REx science team, Bennu has a one-in-2,700 chance of impacting Earth on September 24, 2182. While these odds may seem slim, the potential consequences of such an impact make it a focus of research and concern for scientists.
Bennu’s Previous Encounters with Earth
Although the likelihood of Bennu impacting Earth in the near future is low, the asteroid has already made several close approaches to our planet. Bennu passed close to Earth in 1999, 2005, and 2011, and it is expected to continue to make periodic near-Earth passes as it follows its orbit around the sun.
The study of Bennu and other near-Earth objects like 2024 ON is essential for improving our understanding of how asteroids behave and how their orbits might change over time. These studies also help NASA and other space agencies prepare for the possibility of future missions that could redirect or mitigate the threat of an asteroid impact.
The Importance of Planetary Defense
NASA’s ongoing work to track and study asteroids is part of a larger planetary defense initiative aimed at protecting Earth from potential collisions with space objects. While the chances of a catastrophic impact from a large asteroid are slim, the potential consequences of such an event are serious enough that agencies around the world are devoting significant resources to studying and preparing for these possibilities.
The recent alert regarding 2024 ON and the ongoing study of Bennu serve as reminders of the dynamic nature of our solar system. While we are safe from these particular asteroids for now, continued vigilance is necessary to ensure that future encounters with space objects are detected and addressed well in advance.
As NASA continues to refine its techniques for asteroid tracking and develop new technologies for planetary defense, humanity is better prepared than ever before to deal with the potential threat of an asteroid impact.