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Coming close: Asteroid 2024 MK will sweep past Earth inside moon’s orbit
By George Petras and Stephen J. Beard, USA TODAY,
18 days ago
In a rare celestial one-two punch, two asteroids zoomed by Earth only 42 hours apart. ESA / P. Carril
In a rare stroke of celestial coincidence, two lumpy asteroids – one that could destroy a city, the other big enough to wipe out the planet – are zooming by Earth, close enough to excite observers but posing zero risk of hitting us.
Asteroids in our neighborhood always ignite interest, but these two are special because of their timing, size and orbits.
Their separate-path visits came 42 hours apart and, in yet another fluke, just ahead of this year’s Asteroid Day . That’s the annual observance of the Russian Tunguska meteor event in 1908, the largest asteroid impact in modern history.
Though their orbits are considered close to us in astronomical terms, neither was visible to the unaided eye.
When will asteroid pass Earth?
One of them has already come and gone: Asteroid (415029) 2011 UL21 , a chunk of rock the size of Mount Everest, passed closest to Earth without incident on Thursday.
Though it’s much smaller than its companion, at 400 to 850 feet long, 2024 MK will come much closer to Earth. It’ll pass between us and the moon at a distance of about 180,200 miles. The moon is 238,900 miles from Earth.
Though larger, 2011 UL21 came no closer than 4.1 million miles to us.
You may be able to see the asteroid sometime Saturday with a telescope or a pair of strong binoculars , Smithsonian Magazine says. Those in Hawaii and South America have the best viewing opportunities. It might also be seen from the southern continental U.S. The asteroid's closest approach was at 9:46 a.m. Eastern time. It may be possible to see it Saturday night after the sun sets.
Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman
Source: USA TODAY Network reporting and research; NASA; European Space Agency; earthsky.org; asteroidday.org; space.com; Reuters; sciencealert.com
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