NASA has issued a warning about an asteroid the size of a stadium that is set to approach Earth today.
The asteroid, named 2024 ON, is approximately 290 meters (950 feet) wide and will pass at a distance of 1 million kilometers from Earth, according to the U.S. space agency.
The asteroid last passed Earth in 2013 and is expected to make another close approach in 2035, based on NASA data.
While 2024 ON does not pose any threat to Earth on its current trajectory, even a slight deviation could have significant consequences.
The object was first detected by NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Observation Program, which uses observatories worldwide. It is being tracked by the Virtual Telescope Project, which recorded the “potentially hazardous” asteroid traveling at a speed of about 40,000 kilometers per hour on September 9.
Reaching a minimum distance 2.6 times greater than the average lunar distance, 2024 ON poses no risk to Earth in its current orbit. However, a small shift could have serious consequences.
The asteroid’s massive size makes it 99% larger than any other near-Earth object, but it will not come close enough to be visible without a telescope.
Mini Moon Asteroid
Later this month, a smaller asteroid will temporarily become a “mini moon” as it enters Earth’s orbit for two months.
Asteroid 2024 PT5, with a diameter of just 10 meters, was once part of the Moon, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Research Notes of the AAS.
It will remain within Earth’s orbit from September 29 to November 25, according to the study.
