Produced by: Tarun Mishra
NASA has issued an alert about the approach of an asteroid named 2024 JY1, comparable in size to a commercial airplane, traveling at a speed of 37,070 kilometers per hour.
The asteroid measures approximately 160 feet in diameter and is classified as an Apollo asteroid, a group named after 1862 Apollo, first discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.
2024 JY1 is expected to pass closest to Earth today, May 26, but NASA assures there is no cause for alarm despite its seemingly threatening size.
NASA confirms that the asteroid will maintain a safe distance from Earth, approaching within about 4.16 million miles, more than 17 times the distance to the Moon.
While the asteroid's size may sound alarming, NASA categorizes 2024 JY1 as a non-hazardous asteroid, emphasizing that not all asteroids pose a threat.
NASA has tracked the asteroid's trajectory using data from observatories such as Pan-STARRS and the Catalina Sky Survey, with missions like NEOWISE and the forthcoming NEO Surveyor providing additional insights.
Initiatives like JPL's Goldstone Solar System Radar Group are crucial in tracking these celestial objects, contributing to NASA's diligent monitoring efforts to ensure public safety.