Asteroid 2024 JG 15 approaching the Earth, NASA reports. Will it hit our planet?

NASA is closely monitoring an asteroid that is approaching the Earth on May 22, 2024. It has been classified to be part of the Apollo Group. The asteroid has been named '2024 JG 15' and it is set to approach the Earth on May 22, 2024. It measures 205 feet and is the size of an airplane. Further, it is traveling at a speed of 38,913 kilometers per hour. Its closest approach to the Earth will be on the aforementioned date at 18:31 Hours (UTC) and it will be within approximately 2.5 million kilometers from our planet.

Not too far away
Is it too far away? Well, it may seem so for those of us living on planet Earth. However, in terms of astronomical terms, it isn’t too far away. This distance can be covered in a short period. A majority of the asteroids do not pose any threat to Earth but a small fraction of this can lead to disastrous consequences.


Other Asteroids
The NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies continuously monitors asteroids and other objects close to Earth or are in the process of entering the atmosphere of our planet.

The next few asteroids close to Earth apart from 2024 JG 15 are the following and all of them are expected to come close to Earth on May 21.

• 2024 KC- Its size is 23 feet.
• 2024 JZ 17 whose size is 72 feet.
• 2019 VB 5 whose size is 5.1 feet.
• 2024 JP 12 whose size is 60 feet.

About Asteroids
These are pieces of rocks left behind after the early years of the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. It is mostly found between the planets of Mars and Jupiter on the Asteroid Belt.

When an Asteroid hits Earth, it leads to dust and smoke rising causing a temperature drop on Earth. It may lead to even the extinction of some flora and fauna on Earth. Depending on the size of the asteroid, some even can destroy a city.

FAQs:

1. Can an asteroid be stopped from entering the earth?
While there are no known methods, many of them are being experimented on. One method is to hit it with a high-speed deflector or hit it with a nuclear weapon, according to many scientists.

2. When did an asteroid hit the earth last?
In 2013, an asteroid hit Chelyabinsk in Russia. It caused minor damage.