Skygazers, unite. This week a giant asteroid is set to course to blaze through Texas skies as it rockets within the distance of the moon in one of “the brightest such events in recent years” according to Forbes.
The asteroid is known as asteroid 2024 MK. The International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center discovered it on June 16, and later announced it on June 19.
Astronomers remark the asteroid’s astounding magnitude; the European Space Agency clocks its dimensions at 427 feet by 919 feet in diameter. To put it another (more eerie way) an asteroid of these proportions is colloquially known as a “city killer”.
No need to get the Armageddon team together, however, as officials state that there is no chance of an earth collision. Rather, the asteroid will, at its closest, pass at a distance of 184,000 miles – roughly 55,000 miles closer, or 75% distance, between the Earth and the moon.
This proximity is also what makes this asteroid remarkable, as most asteroids at this close range are on average far smaller in size and can only be seen through advanced telescopes. Typical asteroids in this vicinity also usually disintegrate in the atmosphere
Stargazers can witness the course of the asteroid at its brightest on June 29. The asteroid path will be visible to those with small or amateur telescopes.
The European Space Agency noted the somewhat concerning fact that the asteroid, this close to Earth, was only discovered a few days ago, imploring the need for necessary improvements in asteroid detection:
“There is no risk of 2024 MK impacting Earth,” the agency published on its website. “However, an asteroid this size would cause considerable damage if it did, so its discovery just one week before it flies past our planet highlights the ongoing need to improve our ability to detect and monitor potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs).”