The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the premier space agency of United States, has informed that five asteroids will pass by Earth on October 5, Saturday. The largest of the five celestial bodies which have been named 2024 SY5, 2024 RJ32, 2024 SL3, 2024 SZ1, and 2023 GM1, measures around 130 feet across and will pass the Earth at a distance of 1,820,000 kilometers.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said although the asteroids pose no threat to the planet, they are closely monitoring the space travelers as it would provide crucial data which helps to advance our understanding about these celestial bodies.
Here are the five asteroids set to pass earth on October 5:
Asteroid 2024 RJ32
The largest of the five celestial travelers, Asteroid 2024 RJ32 is around the size of a jumbo jet, at around 130 feet across. It will safely pass the earth at a distance of 1,820,000 kilometers and poses no threat, NASA informed.
Asteroid 2024 SZ1
The second largest among the five, Asteroid 2024 SZ1 is estimated to be around 110 feet wide, about the size of a giant rock. But despite its massive size, it will have no impact on Earth and the closest it will get to earth will be at a distance 2,620,000 kilometers.
Asteroid 2024 SL3
Measuring about 61 feet across, Asteroid 2024 SL3 is smaller compared to its larger siblings and will safely pass Earth at a distance of 1,940,000 kilometers.
Asteroid 2023 GM1
A smaller asteroid measuring around 39 feet in width, Asteroid 2023 GM1 will pass the Earth a distance of 3,670,000 kilometers. Scientists and researchers will be closely monitoring this bus-sized space rock as it flies past the planet.
Asteroid 2024 SY5
The smallest of the group, Asteroid 2024 SY5 measures around 28 feet across, roughly the size of a medium-sized bus, and will safely pass the Earth at a distance of 1,020,000 kilometers.
Hundreds of thousands asteroids and other smaller celestial bodies floating around in space pass the Earth each year, albeit at a safe distance, posing no threat to our precious blue marble. However, these ‘close’ encounter provide physicist valuable opportunities to discover about their nature and advance scientific knowledge about our universe.