NASA shared about a100 feet airplane size giant asteroid will make close approach Earth tomorrow

Asteroid coming towards Earth (Representative Image - Canva)

A 100-foot giant asteroid that is around the size of an aeroplane will make a close approach of 2,390,000 miles or KM to Earth tomorrow, July 13. This asteroid is named 2024 NB2 it is not considered as dangerous as the size and distance pose no immediate threat.

The frequency of asteroids making close passes varies. Larger asteroids are less common to meet, but smaller ones—like the recent 2024 NB2—are more common. Even while this tiny asteroid may not represent a direct threat, scientists are nonetheless keeping a close eye on it since it is essential to study the population of near-Earth objects (NEOs).

A minor planet circling the inner Solar System is called an asteroid. These cold, metallic, or stony bodies are left over from the early stages of our solar system's formation, some 4.6 billion years ago, and have no atmosphere.

Scientists through a combination of methods predict an asteroid's path such as observations, mathematical modelling, and advanced technology. There are several stray asteroids and asteroid fragments that have made an impact on the Earth and caused damage.

These cosmic collisions have had a major impact on Earth and also have contributed to the geological changes in the past along with the evolution of life. The Chicxulub impact event, which occurred around 66 million years ago, was one of the largest asteroids to impact Earth. It was a catastrophic asteroid or comet collision.

This asteroid impact has caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs which made it marked as one of the most significant events in Earth's history. Ceres, Vesta, and Pallas are some of the notable asteroids within our solar system that vary in size, composition, and orbital characteristics.

NASA and other space agencies research asteroids to see whether they could have a major impact on Earth. NASA seeks to discover potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) that may one day threaten Earth by observing their movements.

Asteroids contain important information about their origins and development. Examining their motions offers a valuable understanding of the mechanisms that moulded our planetary neighbourhood billions of years prior.

Scientists can now investigate the composition of asteroids and learn more about the genesis of water and organic compounds in the solar system thanks to missions like OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2.