Saturday, June 29, an asteroid the size of a skyscraper will fly by Earth very close, coming within three-quarters of the distance to the moon.
The name of this asteroid is 2024 MK. It isn't considered a threat right now, but it demonstrates how deadly space rocks are and how to avoid them.
Why 2024 MK's Flyby Is Important
On June 16, astronomers discovered 2024 MK in South Africa. It is 146 meters (480 feet) wider than the Great Pyramid of Giza.
At its closest approach, this gigantic space rock will pass within 184,000 miles (295,000 kilometers) of Earth, speeding at an astonishing 21,000 mph (34,000 km/h). While it poses no immediate threat, NASA has designated 2024 MK as a "potentially hazardous asteroid" because its size and orbit periodically cross Earth's path.
Observing NEOs such as 2024 MK is critical. NASA is monitoring over 35,000 alien objects. NEOs are space objects that frequently circle the Earth and are fewer than 195 million kilometers (120 million miles) from the Sun.
No known asteroids will likely endanger Earth for at least the next century. However, regular observation is required to detect them early and prepare.
Recent Close Encounters and Knowing About Asteroids
The pass of 2024 MK comes right after another major event close to Earth. The even bigger asteroid 2011 UL21 went by Earth on June 27. It was about 4.1 million miles (6.6 million kilometers) away and was between 1.1 and 2.4 miles (1.7 to 3.9 kilometers) wide.
Even though it was thousands of kilometers away, it was the closest a big asteroid has been to Earth in 110 years. These close flybys show how important World Asteroid Day is, held annually on June 30.
World Asteroid Day was created by the UN in 2014 to raise awareness about asteroids and the risks they may cause. In 1908, an asteroid hit Siberia and destroyed a lot of land. We're celebrating the anniversary of that event today. Finding and avoiding asteroids will need better tools after this worldwide event.
READ ALSO: Potentially Hazardous Asteroid the Size of Washington Monument To Come Closer to Earth, NASA Warns
Is it Possible to Stop an Asteroid Impact Event?
It is possible, but very hard and very expensive, to keep an asteroid from hitting Earth. Altering an asteroid's path is more important than destroying it because the bits left behind could be dangerous. Due to this, several different methods are being considered and tested:
- Kinetic Impact: Using a projectile that doesn't hurt the asteroid is one way to change its direction. NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission in 2021 changed an asteroid's path to show that this was possible.
- Gravity Tractor: A high-mass spaceship can gently tug the asteroid into a new orbit via gravitation.
- Laser Ablation: High-power lasers could melt away a chunk of the asteroid's surface, giving it thrust that would change its path.
- Nuclear Explosions: Setting off a nuclear weapon close to the asteroid could steer it away from the Earth.
- Surface Rockets: Small rockets attached to the asteroid's surface can give it the thrust it needs to change its path.
For each of these ways to work, they would need to be found early and have a lot of time to prepare-at least five years. Because of this need, ongoing efforts to watch and prepare for asteroids are even more important.
The close pass of the asteroid 2024 MK is a good example of how dangerous things that are close to Earth can be. While this asteroid doesn't directly threaten, its path shows how important it is to keep an eye out for them and buy tools to find and avoid them. It's important to remember that the best way to protect Earth from asteroids is to stay ahead of them and make scientific progress on World Asteroid Day.
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