Recently Spotted Asteroid Set for Near Miss With Earth

  • 2 days ago
Recently Spotted Asteroid, Set for Near Miss With Earth.
ABC reports that an asteroid
is set to make a close pass
by Earth this weekend.
Asteroid 2024 MK should
be visible with the proper
equipment and timing. .
Asteroid 2024 MK should
be visible with the proper
equipment and timing. .
The space rock will make its closest approach past
Earth early on June 29, passing at just three-quarters
of the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
The asteroid, which was first spotted two
weeks ago by an observatory in South Africa,
is estimated to be about 393 feet to 853 feet wide.
According to asteroid expert Davide Farnocchia,
who works for NASA's Center for Near-Earth
Object Studies, asteroids the size of 2024 MK
only pass by about every 25 years.
We’re going to see a few
of those during our lifetimes,
but it’s not something that
happens every other day, Davide Farnocchia, NASA Center for
Near-Earth Object Studies, via ABC.
On June 27, a 7,579-foot asteroid just passed
the Earth at a slightly greater distance and
was only visible with professional telescopes.
The upcoming 2024 MK will be visible
with a small telescope but will not
be visible to the naked eye. .
ABC reports that skywatchers in
the Southern Hemisphere will have
the best odds of spotting the asteroid.
The next major asteroid is set for April 13, 2029,
when Apophis will pass Earth and be visible with
the naked eye to viewers in Europe, Africa and Asia.