4 asteroids — including one plane sized and two house sized objects — to approach the Earth today, NASA warns: here’s all we know

As Earth travels through space, it occasionally encounters near-Earth objects (NEOs), including asteroids, which spark both curiosity and concern. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) monitors these objects closely, tracking their trajectories, sizes, and closest approaches. Here’s a look at some of the upcoming asteroids and whether they pose any danger to our planet.

Upcoming asteroids near Earth

On October 3, 2024, several asteroids will make close approaches to Earth:

• Asteroid 2024 TE: Approximately the size of a bus (41 feet), it will pass Earth at a distance of 13 lakh km, which is more than three times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
• Asteroid 2024 SD3: Slightly larger than an aeroplane (68 feet), it will come within 14.8 lakh km.
• Asteroid 2024 SR4: Comparable in size to a house (51 feet), this object will pass at a distance of 26.8 km.
• Asteroid 2024 TM: Also house-sized (48 feet), it will fly by at a more distant 47.1 lakh km
• Asteroid 2024 TF: Smallest of the group, about the size of a car (17 feet), it will come closest at 2.9 lakh km, just under the distance to the Moon, on October 4.

How dangerous are these asteroids?

Though the proximity of these asteroids to Earth might seem alarming, none pose a direct threat. Asteroids that approach Earth within 74 lakh km are monitored, but danger only arises from objects larger than 150 metres in diameter, and none of the upcoming asteroids meet this size threshold.
The closest object, 2024 TF, will pass at 9 lakh km, which is still far enough to avoid any risk. Its small size also means that even if it were on a collision course, it would likely disintegrate upon entering Earth’s atmosphere. Objects of this size tend to burn up due to the intense frictional forces they experience when entering our atmosphere, posing little to no danger on the surface.

In rare cases, fragments might survive the atmospheric burn and reach the surface, as happened in the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor event in Russia. Even in that case, the object, roughly 60 feet wide, caused minimal damage despite its impressive light and shockwave effects.

The broader picture of asteroid hazards

While the upcoming asteroids are relatively small and distant, scientists are ever-vigilant when it comes to larger NEOs. NASA defines any asteroid larger than 150 metres that comes within 74 lakh km of Earth as a “potentially hazardous object.” However, such events are rare, and extensive tracking systems ensure that scientists have advance notice of any significant threats.
The key to mitigating asteroid risk is early detection and ongoing observation. Projects like NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which aims to alter the trajectory of an asteroid by direct impact, are part of broader efforts to defend Earth from potential collisions. Though the asteroids on JPL’s radar now pose no danger, these advancements ensure that humanity remains prepared for larger and closer objects in the future.

For those interested in tracking these asteroids and learning more, NASA’s Asteroid Watch provides real-time updates on upcoming approaches and ongoing research into NEOs. You can visit Asteroid Watch for more details on the objects coming our way soon.