NASA Alerts of a Huge Stadium-Sized Asteroid Heading Towards Earth Today At Stunning Speed

New Delhi: A huge asteroid is heading towards the Earth at a stunning speed of 19,854 mph today, NASA has alerted. The asteroid which is nearly 950-feet in diameter and around twice the length of two cricket pitches is expected to pass by Earth on September 17, 2024, NASA said. However, the asteroid will be at a safe distance of about 621,000 miles which is equal to 2.6 times the distance between Earth and Moon. NASA has named it ‘Asteroid 2024 ON’.

The asteroid was first noticed by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations Programme. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, is tracking its movements closely with advanced radar and optical telescopes. 

The shape, size, composition and potential risks are being investigated by the researchers to consider ways of mitigating it if required. However, NASA has assured the people that chances of the asteroid hitting the Earth are very less. 

NASA is also working together with the European Space Agency (ESA) and other international partners to study about the Asteroid 2024 ON. They will also try to understand the materials that make up the celestial objects. These findings are expected to reveal important details of the early formation of our solar system.  

Super Harvest Moon Lunar Eclipse Today

In another news, a partial lunar eclipse will occur during September’s Super Harvest Moon today. On September 17, a portion of the Full Harvest Moon will pass through Earth’s shadow, which will create a celestial event visible from various parts of the world, including North and South America (except Alaska), Europe, most of Africa, western Asia, and parts of Antarctica. If you are in other parts of the world or if you can’t watch the eclipse in person, several livestreams will be available to make sure you don’t miss out. TimeAndDate.com will host a livestream of the partial lunar eclipse starting at 9 p.m. ET on September 17 (0100 GMT on September 18), complete with interactive maps and location-specific timing tools.