Despite their combined mass being less than Earth 's Moon, some, like asteroid 2024 GM , which is as large as a building, are occasionally on paths that bring them closer to Earth.
NASA ’s JPL further reveals that it is a 280 feet asteroid which is moving at a fiery speed of 38790 kmph towards our home planet.
It is an Apollo asteroid, which is a type of near-Earth asteroid (NEA) with an Earth-crossing orbit.
Apollo asteroids are named after 1862 Apollo, the first asteroid of this group to be discovered.
Asteroid 2024 GM, measuring 280 feet (85 meters) across, is not considered a potentially hazardous object by NASA due to its size.
Asteroid 2024 GM: NASA's Close Watch on Earth's Cosmic Neighbour
Asteroid s are rocky objects from the early days of our solar system, about 4.6 billion years ago. Most are located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. They vary in size, with Vesta being the largest at about 329 miles in diameter, while some are as small as 33 feet across. Despite their combined mass being less than Earth 's Moon, some, like asteroid 2024 GM , which is as large as a building, are occasionally on paths that bring them closer to Earth.
NASA ’s JPL further reveals that it is a 280 feet asteroid which is moving at a fiery speed of 38790 kmph towards our home planet. Moreover, it will be 4.45 million miles away from the Earth. It is an Apollo asteroid, which is a type of near-Earth asteroid (NEA) with an Earth-crossing orbit. These asteroids have orbits that allow them to cross Earth's orbit as they travel around the Sun. Apollo asteroids are named after 1862 Apollo, the first asteroid of this group to be discovered.
Asteroid 2024 GM, measuring 280 feet (85 meters) across, is not considered a potentially hazardous object by NASA due to its size. Objects larger than 150 meters that come within 4.6 million miles of Earth fall into this category. However, NASA assures that this asteroid will safely pass by our planet without posing any threat, as its path is closely monitored.
How Are Asteroids Named? Asteroids receive their names through a system overseen by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). When an observer spots an asteroid on two consecutive nights, they send the data to the IAU, which assigns the asteroid a provisional name, like 1992 KD.
The provisional name indicates the year of discovery and two letters show the order of discovery within that year. For instance, asteroids found between January 1 and 15 are named AA, AB, AC, and so on. Those discovered from January 16 to 31 receive names like BA, BB, and BC, and the pattern continues until the end of the year, with names progressing from YA, YB, YC, and so forth for the latest discoveries.
