Washington: NASA has recently alerted the public about asteroid 2024 OR1, which is expected to pass near Earth on August 6, 2024, at 13:11 UTC (6:41 PM IST).
The asteroid, about the size of an airplane at 110 feet (34 meters), will zoom by at a speed of 30,381 km/h. Being an Apollo asteroid, it offers a valuable opportunity for observation and scientific research.
Apollo asteroids are near-Earth objects (NEOs) with orbits intersecting Earth’s orbit. While most NEOs remain at a safe distance, those considered potentially hazardous are over 460 feet (140 meters) and approach within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometres) of Earth.
However, asteroid 2024 OR1, despite its classification, will miss Earth by approximately 3.4 million kilometres, well outside the range to be deemed potentially hazardous due to its smaller size.
NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) monitors all known NEOs for potential collision risks. Orbital data is gathered from worldwide observatories, including those run by amateur astronomers, and compiled by the Minor Planet Center. Primary data sources include NASA-supported observatories like Pan-STARRS and the Catalina Sky Survey. Future missions like the NEO Surveyor and radar initiatives such as JPL’s Goldstone Solar System Radar Group will further improve tracking capabilities.
Should an asteroid of similar size to 2024 OR1 impact Earth, the effects would depend on its size, velocity, and impact location. An asteroid measuring 110 feet could inflict considerable regional damage, similar to the 2013 Chelyabinsk event in Russia, where a smaller asteroid caused significant injuries and property damage. Larger asteroids might trigger more catastrophic consequences, including tsunamis or climate disturbances.
Thankfully, with the existing tracking and monitoring infrastructure, we can rest assured that asteroid 2024 OR1 will traverse past Earth harmlessly, permitting ongoing observation without posing any immediate danger.
