NASA has warned that a massive 420-foot-wide asteroid is set to make a close approach towards our home planet Earth at a fiery speed of 1 lakh km per hour. Here is what else NASA has said about this massive asteroid.
Asteroid 2024 EU4: NASA Shares Size, Date, Distance, Speed, More
Earth has narrowly escaped four asteroids today, while one of them was a massive 140-foot in size. Scientists are glad that these asteroids haven’t posed any threat to our home planet but at the same time are worrying about this upcoming giant space rock. NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) reported that this celestial object named Asteroid 2024 EU4, a 420-foot behemoth is hurtling towards Earth at a fiery speed.
Asteroid 2024 EU4 is an unusual space object that’s heading towards Earth. It measures 420 feet wide, which is larger than most asteroids that come near our planet. This asteroid is also moving incredibly fast, travelling at a speed of 101,885 km/h according to NASA’s data.
One concerning aspect is that 2024 EU4 will make a close approach to Earth on March 23rd. NASA has calculated that it will come within 4.5 million miles of our planet. While this may seem like a large distance, any slight deviation in the asteroid’s orbit could potentially have catastrophic consequences for Earth.
Is It Potentially Hazardous?
Due to its massive 420-foot size, asteroid 2024 EU4 is classified as a potentially hazardous object by NASA. Any object larger than 150 meters that can come within 4.6 million miles of Earth is considered potentially hazardous. While the idea of a huge asteroid zipping past Earth at high speeds may sound alarming, there’s no need for immediate panic. NASA has been closely tracking the asteroid’s path and has confirmed that it will maintain a safe distance as it passes by our planet.
How do asteroids get their name?
Asteroids get their names through a process managed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). It starts when an observer spots an asteroid on two consecutive nights. Then, the observer sends the data to the IAU, which gives the asteroid a provisional name, like 1992 KD.
The provisional name includes the year of discovery and two letters showing the order of discovery during that year. For example, asteroids found from January 1 to 15 get names like AA, AB, AC, and so on. Those found from January 16 to 31 are labelled BA, BB, and BC. This continues until the end of the year, with names like YA, YB, and YC for the last discoveries.
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
