Earth is about to witness a series of close encounters with five massive asteroids. These space rocks vary in size and speed. They are expected to pass by Earth between August 8 and August 13. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been tracking these asteroids closely.
What Are Asteroids?
Asteroids, also known as planetoids, are inactive rocks that orbit the Sun. They are considered the rocky remnants created during the formation of our solar system billions of years ago.
The asteroid belt, positioned between the planets Mars and Jupiter, contains most of the asteroids in our solar system. The largest known asteroid is 4 Vesta, which is about 530 kilometers in diameter.
The Largest Asteroid: 2024 KH3
The largest of these asteroids is named 2024 KH3. It is about 610 feet in diameter, which is roughly the size of a tall building. On August 10, 2024, this asteroid will be making its closest approach to Earth. It will pass at a distance of about 5.6 million kilometers from our planet.
This object, despite its size, poses no risk of hitting Earth. Scientists have thoroughly analyzed its trajectory and confirmed that it will safely pass without impacting our planet.
Airplane-Sized Asteroid: 2024 ON2
Another significant asteroid is 2024 ON2. This one is about 120 feet in diameter, similar to the size of an airplane. It will make its closest approach on August 12, 2024. The asteroid will be located roughly 6.8 million kilometers away from Earth. Similar to 2024 KH3, this asteroid is not considered a threat to our planet.
Medium-Sized Asteroid: 2024 PK1
The third asteroid, 2024 PK1, is about 110 feet in diameter. On August 10, 2024, there will be a close encounter as an asteroid passes by Earth. The closest distance will be approximately 6.4 million kilometers. This asteroid is also considered safe.
Smaller Asteroid: 2024 PN1
2024 PN1 is smaller, about 86 feet in diameter. It will make its closest approach on August 8, 2024. At a distance of about 2.4 million kilometers, this object is closer than the others, but there is no significant threat associated with its proximity.
The Smallest Asteroid: 2024 PS1
The smallest of the five is 2024 PS1. It is about 58 feet in diameter, roughly the size of a house. This asteroid will pass by Earth on August 13, 2024. The closest distance will be around 1.3 million kilometers. Like the others, it is not a threat to our planet.
Potential Threats
While these five asteroids pose no threat, it is essential to understand the potential dangers of asteroids. The extent of damage caused by an asteroid depends on its size. For an asteroid to destroy Earth, it would need to be as big as our planet.
Smaller asteroids, like those the size of a car, enter Earth’s atmosphere each year and most of them burn in atmosphere before reaching the surface.
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