NASA reveals that a 140-foot asteroid will pass close to Earth today; Find out its approaching speed
Yesterday, Earth had close encounters with two asteroids as they passed at the closest points in their orbit. NASA has now announced that four more asteroids are set to pass by Earth today, March 18. These asteroids often come near Earth due to interactions with the gravitational field of planets like Jupiter, potentially leading to a collision. It is important to closely monitor and track these asteroids in order to predict any potential impacts. Learn more about the upcoming close encounter with a 140-foot asteroid today.
Asteroid 2024 FI
NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, or CNEOS, has been tracking the asteroid, which is dedicated to observing the sky and observing celestial objects such as asteroids and comets known as Near-Earth Objects (NEOs).
Named Asteroid 2024 EN, the asteroid is just one of four predicted to come close to Earth today, the others being Asteroid 2020 ED3, 2020 FD and 2024 EN3.
NASA says Asteroid 2024 EN will make its closest approach to the planet at a distance of 1.49 million kilometers. Before its close approach, its journey towards Earth has been tracked at a frightening speed of 43,104 kilometers per hour.
How big is it?
Asteroid 2024 EN is almost the size of an airplane. It is about 140 feet wide and is the largest of the four asteroids that pass by Earth today. It’s important to note that even if the asteroid comes close to Earth, NASA says it’s unlikely to hit the surface and cause damage.
It belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are space rocks that pass through the Earth and whose semi-major axes are larger than the Earth’s axis. These asteroids are named after the huge 1862 Apollo asteroid discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.
