Two asteroids 2024 SD3 and 2024 SR4 will have a close encounter with Earth today, October 3, 2024, NASA has announced. But should you be worried? Well, the answer is ‘no’ because these huge rocky celestial bodies will not harm our planet. Instead, their close proximity provides astronomers a great opportunity to carry out an in-depth study about them. These two asteroids are currently being tracked by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Here’s all you need to know about the two asteroids:
Asteroid 2024 SD3
Asteroid 2024 SD3 can be compared to the size of a small airplane as it measures approximately 68 feet. It will likely fly by Earth at a distance of approximately 1,490,000 kilometers at a speed of 65,629 km/h at 9:19 PM IST on October 3.
- Approximate size: 68 feet
- Closest Earth approach: 924,000 km
- Date of approach: October 3, 2024
Asteroid 2024 SR4
Measuring around 51 feet, 2024 SR4 is smaller in size as compared to 2024 SD3. It is as big as a house. This asteroid is scheduled to fly by earth on October 3, 2024 at 4:00 PM IST. It will come at close proximity of earth at a distance of 2,680,000 kilometers. It will be speeding at 41,835 km/h. NASA is closely monitoring both the asteroids making approach to earth today.
- Approximate size: 51 feet
- Closest Earth approach: 1,670,000 km
- Date of approach: October 3, 2024
NASA has classified both these asteroids as near-Earth objects (NEOs). The US space agency closely monitors to confirm they don’t pose a threat to earth. Despite their massive size and lightning fast speed, they will safely pass by earth without harming our planet.
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