NASA Alerts: Two airplane-size asteroids approaching Earth at high speed Today

Representative Image (Canva)

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is keeping a close watch on two asteroids, 2024 NS1 and 2020 PN1, as they are set to safely pass by Earth on August 2, 2024. While neither asteroid poses an immediate threat, their close encounters provide valuable opportunities for scientific observation and tracking.

Asteroid 2024 NS1: A 140-Foot Potentially Hazardous Celestial Space Rock

Asteroid 2024 NS1, measuring approximately 140 feet in diameter, is classified as potentially hazardous due to its size and high-speed trajectory. Despite this classification, NASA assures that it will pass safely at a distance of 1,260,000 kilometers from Earth, significantly farther than the Moon.

Asteroid 2020 PN1: A Smaller Yet Closer Approach

In addition to 2024 NS1, asteroid 2020 PN1, which is about 90 feet in diameter, will also approach Earth on the same day. Although it is smaller, it will come relatively closer, passing within 6,887,000 kilometers of our planet. Despite this closer approach, it poses no immediate threat to Earth.

NASA's Continuous Monitoring Efforts

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory continuously monitors the skies for potentially hazardous asteroids, providing crucial insights into their trajectories and potential threats. These observations help scientists better understand the ancient rocky fragments left over from the solar system's formation.

While the news of large asteroids approaching Earth might be alarming, NASA reassures the public that there is no cause for concern with either of these asteroids. Both 2024 NS1 and 2020 PN1 will pass by Earth at safe distances, posing no danger to our planet.