Asteroid Watch: NASA reveals building-sized asteroid will narrowly pass by Earth today

NASA says as many as four asteroids passed by Earth yesterday, all at close range. The largest of these, asteroid 2024 BD7, is nearly 140 feet wide, almost as big as an airplane. Now, NASA has revealed that just one asteroid has been tracked in its orbit and will make its closest approach to Earth today (March 19). However, it is larger than all the asteroids that passed the Earth yesterday! From its size and speed to its close approach, learn everything you need to know about this building-sized asteroid.

Also read: 140-foot-tall asteroid expected to fly by Earth – see details

Asteroid 2024 BD7

NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has named the upcoming asteroid 2024 BD7. The organization keeps a close eye on celestial bodies such as comets and asteroids. Such objects that pass through the Earth at close range are called near-Earth objects (NEOs).

According to NASA, asteroid 2024 BD7 will pass Earth at a distance of 7.2 million kilometers during its close approach. According to tracking, it is moving in its orbit at an astonishing speed of approximately 36,507 kilometers per hour! This is even faster than an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)!

Is it dangerous?

NASA said that although the size of the asteroid is much larger than the asteroid that passed the Earth yesterday, it does not pose any threat to life or property and is not expected to impact the surface. After studying the data, the space agency discovered that asteroid 2024 BD7 was 440 feet wide, almost as big as a building!

Also read: What are asteroids and how ESA tracks them

It belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, which are space rocks that pass through the Earth and have a semi-major axis that is larger than the Earth’s major axis. These asteroids are named after the giant 1862 Apollo asteroid, which was discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.

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