📷 Image Credits: NDTV
A 99-foot wide asteroid, named 2024 KA1, will fly close to Earth on Saturday. This celestial visitor is traveling at a speed of 29,961 kmph, and will make its closest approach to Earth at 16:36 IST.
The 2024 KA1 has been categorized within the Apollo group of asteroids. According to NASA’s Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the asteroid will come within a distance of 1.8 million km from Earth. While this distance may appear considerable, in astronomical terms, it qualifies as a close approach. The asteroid poses no direct threat to Earth. The vast majority of near-Earth objects (NEOs) do not pose any immediate danger. However, there is a subset of asteroids, known as potentially hazardous asteroids, that require more scrutiny.
NASA and its global network of observatories continuously monitor NEOs, looking for potential risks. Radar projects like the Goldstone Solar System Radar Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory contribute invaluable insights into the composition and movement of NEOs. Following the 2024 KA1, Earth will witness several other close encounters with asteroids in the upcoming days.
Over the next few days, a series of asteroids will pass by Earth at various distances. Asteroid 2024 LC, roughly 84 feet in size, will pass by at a distance of approximately 4,703,168 km. Then, on June 11, 2024, two more asteroids will make their close approaches. Asteroid 2024 LD and asteroid 2024 CR9 are expected to come within specific distances of our planet.
These encounters are not anticipated to pose any immediate threat to Earth. As the 2024 KA1 approaches, experts assure that it poses no danger to Earth and will safely zoom past our planet. With advanced technology and continuous monitoring, scientists and astronomers remain vigilant in tracking and studying these celestial phenomena to ensure the safety of our planet and its inhabitants.
