Aircraft-sized asteroid to pass Earth at close quarters, reveals NASA; Check speed, size and more

With the help of its advanced technology, NASA has shed light on an asteroid that is expected to pass Earth today, February 13. It is one of the many space rocks that will, and some already have, flown past the planet in recent weeks. While these asteroids can sometimes come even closer to Earth than the Moon, most of them do not pose any threat and pass by relatively safely. Still, the space agencies continue to monitor their orbits for any potential collision scenarios. Know all about the close encounter with the asteroid today.

Asteroid 2024 CB1: Details

Asteroid 2024 CB1 is expected to pass Earth at a distance of just 1.4 million kilometers and at a speed of 63174 kilometers per hour which is almost as fast as a space shuttle! It is important to note that while it has been termed as a Near-Earth Asteroid due to its close distance of passing, it is not expected to actually impact the planet.

It belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, which are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes larger than Earth's. These asteroids are named after the humongous 1862 Apollo asteroid, discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.

How big is the asteroid?

NASA has not designated Asteroid 2024 CB1 as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid. Only celestial objects larger than 492 feet that pass Earth at a distance closer than 7.5 million kilometers are designated so, and Asteroid 2024 CB1 does not fulfill one of these requirements. In terms of size, Asteroid 2024 CB1 is almost 160 feet wide, making it almost as big as an aircraft!

According to NASA, this will not be Asteroid 2024 CB1’s first-ever close approach to Earth. The first time it came close to the planet was on January 28, 1905, when it passed at a distance of approximately 51 million kilometers. After today, it will pass Earth again on July 10, 2025, at almost 62 million kilometers.

Also, read other top stories today:

Beware of the subscription trap! Over half of the consumers surveyed have experienced subscription traps, hidden charges and other dark patterns on purchasing apps or other software through their mobile app stores. Some interesting details in this article. Check it out here.

Self-driving cars are powering on! This CEO breaks it all down for the people on the road. Check it all out here.

Good news for Apple! Apple led the India tablet PC market in 2023 as well as in the December quarter with a 25 per cent. Samsung was at the second spot with a 23 per cent market share in 2023, market research firm CyberMedia Research said. Read all about it here.

One more thing! We are now on WhatsApp Channels! Follow us there so you never miss any updates from the world of technology. ‎To follow the HT Tech channel on WhatsApp, click here to join now!