Stadium-sized asteroid approaching Earth today; can it be seen, will it crash on Earth? Here's all you need to know

A stadium-sized asteroid is expected to come very close to Earth on Tuesday, according to a warning from NASA. Although it's not visible without a telescope, a rare partial lunar eclipse will also occur on the same day.

The US Space Agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory estimates that the asteroid known as 2024 ON will be 290 meters (950 feet) across and will approach Earth within 1 million kilometers. NASA data indicates that the space rock will make another approach to Earth in 2035, having last passed Earth in 2013.

The Near-Earth Object (NEO) Observations Program of NASA, which employs observatories all over the world to find undiscovered NEOs, made the initial observation of the object. The Virtual Telescope Project is tracking it; on September 9, it captured a picture of the potentially hazardous asteroid, which was traveling at a speed of about 40,000 kilometers per hour.


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2024 ON presents no threat to Earth on its current trajectory because it will reach a minimum distance that is 2.6 times the average lunar distance; however, even a slight detour could have significant repercussions. The asteroid will not pass close enough to be seen without a telescope, but its massive size makes it 99 percent larger than any other near-Earth object. Instead, observers will be able to witness a rare partial lunar eclipse coincide with a supermoon full moon on the day of its closest approach to Earth. Besides parts of North and South America and Asia, the celestial show will be visible over all of Europe and Africa.

A smaller asteroid will be drawn into orbit around Earth for two months later in the month, turning it into a temporary minimoon. According to a recent study published in the scientific journal Research Notes of the AAS, the 2024 PT5 asteroid, which was formerly a part of the Moon, is only 10 meters across. The study predicts that it will stay in Earth's orbit from September 29 to November 25.

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FAQs:

Is it possible to see the asteroid 2024 ON with the unaided eye?
No, a telescope is required to view 2024 ON due to its distance from Earth. On the same day, though, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible in many regions of the world.

Is there a chance that the asteroid will collide with Earth?
No, because it will pass Earth at a safe distance of about one million kilometers, NASA says that there is no risk to Earth from 2024 ON. There appears to be no threat based on its current trajectory.