Asteroid the size of Statue of Liberty to fly by Earth at 65,215 kmph speed: NASA

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA has stated that five asteroids will fly past Earth between July 8 and July 16, at safe distances from our planet. Among these, the first asteroid, 2024 MT1, will pass at a distance of 936,000 miles on July 8, followed by 2024 ME1 at a distance of 2,700,000 miles from Earth on July 10, and 2022 YS5 will approach at 2,620,000 miles on July 11.

The Sky

Asteroid 2024 MT1??

Asteroid 2024 MT1, a near-Earth object approximately 260 feet (about 79 meters) in size, has been of the most interest to scientists. It is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid due to its significant size and the relatively close distance at which it will pass by Earth.?

The closest approach of 2024 MT1 is expected on July 8, 2024, when it will pass at a distance of approximately 937,000 miles (around 1,507,839 kilometers) from Earth.

Also read:?NASA Spacecraft Captures Images Of Jupiter's Elusive Asteroids For The First Time

JPL

How scientists found Asteroid 2024 MT1

The asteroid 2024 MK was first reported on June 16 by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) at Sutherland Observing Station in South Africa. Its orbit was changed by Earth’s gravity as it passed by, reducing its 3.3-year orbital period around the Sun by about 24 days.?

Why studying Asteroid 2024 MT1 is important?

Although it is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, calculations of its future motion show that it does not pose a threat to our planet for the foreseeable future.

Also read:?Bizarre Concept Claims Humans Could Live On Cities Built In Asteroids

JPL

This asteroid's close approach is monitored by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) and other international space agencies to ensure it does not pose a threat to Earth. Such monitoring is crucial as it helps gather data to improve our understanding of asteroid trajectories and refine future predictions.?

Rare occurrence?

According to JPL, close approaches of near-Earth objects the size of 2024 MK are relatively rare, occurring about every couple of decades.

JPL

“This was an extraordinary opportunity to investigate the physical properties and obtain detailed images of a near-Earth asteroid,” Lance Benner, principal scientist at JPL, said.

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