Asteroid 2024 BM to pass Earth by just a whisker today, reveals NASA; Check size, speed, more

NASA says an asteroid, designated Asteroid 2024 BM, is expected to pass Earth by a close margin today, January 22. Know its speed, size, distance of approach, and other details.

Asteroid 2024 BM belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids, according to NASA. Know how fast it is approaching. (Pixabay)

As per the details issued by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the asteroid has been designated as Asteroid 2024 BM. This asteroid is expected to pass Earth at a distance of approximately 3 million kilometers today, January 22. It is already travelling towards Earth in its orbit at 21511 kilometers per hour which is almost as fast as Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)! Is the asteroid dangerous? Check details.

Asteroid 2024 BM

This space rock 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.

According to NASA, this is not the first time that Asteroid 2024 BM has come close to Earth. It first passed the planet on December 5, 1900, at a distance of approximately 23 million kilometers. After today, it will pass the planet at a distance of 9.7 million kilometers on May 2, 2039.

How big is it?

According to NASA, the asteroid that is approaching Earth is not expected to crash and isn't big enough to be classified as a Potentially Hazardous Object. These are celestial objects larger than about 490 meters that can approach the Earth within 7.5 million kilometers. It is approximately 150 feet wide, making it as big as an aircraft. With a width of 45 feet, Asteroid 2024 BM is almost the size of a house, NASA has revealed. 

How do asteroids impact a planet?

Asteroids can be found in the main asteroid belt located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. If these space rocks have their own orbits, how do they impact Earth? NASA says that this can happen due to interaction with a large planet's gravitational field. This sends them tumbling towards a planet, causing a potential impact scenario.

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