Asteroid 2024: Stadium-sized asteroid headed towards Earth today; can it be seen, will it hit Earth and when will it hit Earth? Here's everything you need to know


According to NASA's warning, a stadium-sized asteroid will pass very close to Earth on Tuesday. Although it cannot be seen without a telescope, there will also be a rare partial lunar eclipse on the same day.

The US space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory estimates that the asteroid, known as 2024 ON, will be 290 metres (950 feet) wide and pass 1 million kilometres from Earth. NASA data suggests the space rock will fly past Earth again in 2035, having last flown by Earth in 2013.

NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Observations Program, which uses observatories around the world to find unseen NEOs, made the initial observation of this object. The Virtual Telescope Project is tracking it; on September 9 it photographed the potentially hazardous asteroid, traveling at about 40,000 kilometers per hour.

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2024 ON poses no threat to Earth on its current trajectory because it will approach at a minimum distance that is 2.6 times the average lunar distance; however, even a slight detour could have significant consequences. The asteroid won't pass close enough to be seen without a telescope, but its enormous size makes it 99 percent larger than any other near-Earth object. Instead, observers will be able to see a rare partial lunar eclipse and a supermoon full moon on the day of its closest approach to Earth. In addition to North and South America and parts of Asia, the celestial show will be visible across much of Europe and Africa.


A small asteroid will be pulled into Earth's orbit for two months later this month, making it a temporary minimoon. According to a recent study published in the AAS scientific journal Research Notes, the 2024 PT5 asteroid, which was formerly part of the moon, is only 10 meters wide. The study predicts that it will orbit Earth from September 29 to November 25.ALSO READ: US election: Pollster Nate Silver says Harris will win in Alaska, but lose in Texas and Florida

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is it possible to see asteroid 2024 ON without aid?
No, a telescope will be needed to see ON 2024 due to its distance from Earth. However, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible in many areas of the world on the same day.

Is there a chance that this asteroid will hit the Earth?
No, because it will pass at a safe distance of about one million kilometers from Earth, NASA says there is no threat to Earth after 2024. There appears to be no threat based on its current trajectory.

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