📷 Image Credits: CBC News
Two massive asteroids are set to pass closely by Earth this week, offering a unique celestial event to mark World Asteroid Day. The first asteroid, (415029) 2011 UL21, will pass Earth at a safe distance more than 17 times farther than the moon on Thursday afternoon. Despite its vast size of 7,600 feet, it poses zero risks of impact and will be visible through small telescopes. Discovered in 2011, this asteroid’s peculiar elliptical orbit and size make it a rare cosmic spectacle.
On Saturday morning, a smaller asteroid, 2024 MK, will fly even closer to Earth, passing at three-fourths the distance to the moon. Astronomers recommend using binoculars or telescopes to catch a glimpse of this 400-850 feet long asteroid. Viewers in Hawai’i, South America, and the southern United States will have the best visibility of this asteroid, named in honor of World Asteroid Day.
World Asteroid Day commemorates the 1908 Tunguska event and aims to raise awareness about the dangers of asteroid strikes. The European Space Agency emphasizes the ongoing need to enhance detection and monitoring capabilities for potentially hazardous near-Earth objects. While no imminent threat is predicted, future close encounters like the upcoming Apophis flyby in 2029 and the return of 2011 UL21 in 2089 serve as reminders of the cosmic dynamics surrounding our planet.
Stay tuned for live streams of both asteroid passages and celebrate this cosmic event as a testament to our ability to track and understand the wonders of the universe.
