Massive Asteroid is coming towards Earth at a high speed 104,761 KMPH. The asteroid named 2024 RN16 belongs to a group of near-Earth objects called the Apollo asteroid. The name is taken after the first discovered asteroid of this group, 1862 Apollo.
Asteroid 2024 RN16 will make a close approach to Earth on September 14, 2024 at 08:46 UTC (2:16 PM IST). The speed is high up to 104,761 KMPH and 110 feet wide will come within 1.6 million kilometers of Earth.
The possibility of a close approach occurs because some of these asteroids have orbits that cross the Earth around the Sun. And NASA monitors Apollo asteroids because of their potential to intersect with Earth’s objects.
If the asteroid had a size like 2024 RN16 and hit Earth, the impact would be extremely destructive. When the asteroid enters Earth’s atmosphere, it will explode 29 kilometers above the ground and releasing energy equivalent to 16 megatons of TNT.
Meanwhile asteroid 2024 RN16, will pass by Earth safely without causing any harm because an event like that is expected once every 990 years.
NASA’s Efforts to Monitor The Earth
A NASA spokesperson said that with NASA’s vigilant monitoring, Earth remains protected from the dangers of space rocks like asteroid 2024 RN16.
These are some of NASA’s effort to monitor the earth including:
- NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) to monitor asteroids and comets to assess their impact risk. Data from worldwide observatories and amateur astronomers help track these object’s paths.
- The Minor Planet Center gathers the information, while programs like Pan-STARRS and NEOWISE provide detailed observations.
- Goldstone Solar System Radar is the planetary radar system that help refine asteroid trajectories.
Apophis, an Asteroid that Have Potential Threat to Earth in 2029
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is also closely monitoring an asteroid named Apophis which is expected to come very close to Earth on April 13, 2029.
Apophis is named after the Egyptian God of chaos, and Apophis also has a size larger than India’s INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier and the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Apophis was discovered in 2004 and has been tracked for its periodic close approaches to Earth. An approach in 2029 will bring it to a distance of 32,000 kilometers closer than many geostationary satellites.