NASA issues alert
NASA has issued an alarm about asteroid 2024 KN1, which is the size of an 88-foot airliner and will approach Earth on June 23, 2024, at 11:39 PM IST. It has been classified as non-threatening and will pass safely at a distance of 5.6 million kilometers, with CNEOS monitoring it using data from worldwide observatories.
NASA has issued an alarm that an asteroid up to the size of an 88-foot airliner is heading towards Earth. NASA has issued a warning about the asteroid 2024 KN1, which is predicted to pass near Earth on June 23, 2024, at 11:39 PM IST. This asteroid, which belongs to the Amor group, is around 88 feet in diameter and will move at a speed of around 16,500 kilometers per hour.
Regardless of its proximity, asteroid 2024 KN1 will safely pass by Earth at a distance of 5.6 million kilometers, or nearly 14 times the distance to the Moon.
NASA has rated asteroid 2024 KN1 as non-threatening, stating that it will not approach close enough to pose a danger of collision. Most near-Earth objects, like asteroid 2024 KN1, travel in orbits that keep them securely away from our planet, rendering them harmless. However, NASA regularly monitors a limited number of asteroids designated as potentially dangerous asteroids, which have trajectories that might bring them close to Earth, posing a risk of impact.
NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) monitors these celestial bodies using data from observatories across the world, including contributions from programs like Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey, and NASA’s NEOWISE mission. Radar programs like JPL’s Goldstone Solar System Radar Group are also important for tracking these space objects.
Astronomers’ continual monitoring efforts, which are greatly assisted by amateur contributions, are vital to studying and tracking these celestial entities. This joint effort guarantees that any possible impacts from near-Earth objects are detected and assessed early on.
The imminent near approach of asteroid 2024 KN1 gives astronomers another opportunity to investigate these intriguing objects in our solar system. As technology and observational capabilities grow, our understanding of near-Earth objects and their paths improves, allowing us to better forecast and minimize any future threats.
