NASA assures that asteroid 2024 ON, an object that astronomers keenly monitored since it threatened to pass close to Earth, has now safely passed without incident. Traveling at 25,000 mph and coming within 0.62 million miles from our own planet, the close encounter of the asteroid is newsworthy but not dangerous in terms of collision.
The first noticed on 5th September, 2024, is being followed by the Near-Earth Object Observations Programme of NASA with asteroid 2024 ON. The Virtual Telescope Project, also identified another near-Earth object which is asteroid 2024 RR3. This will safely pass Earth on June 7, 2024.
Research teams at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Planetary Defense Coordination Office are studying 2024 ON in terms of its size, shape, and composition, using a combination of radar and telescopes. International efforts, including collaboration with the European Space Agency, are also underway to enhance planetary defense and understand near-Earth objects better. Size and Speed Compelling, Experts Note In spite of being said to be at least 100 meters wide and with a speed of about 24 kilometers per second, there is no cause for concern, experts add.
