Time: 2024-06-30
A mountain-sized space rock known as the Planet Killer, (415029) 2011 UL21, is set to fly past Earth on Thursday, June 27. This asteroid is larger than 99% of known near-Earth objects and has a diameter of 2.5 kilometers. Although it will come within 4.1 million miles of Earth, it will still be 17 times farther away from Earth than the moon. The European Space Agency estimates that the asteroid orbits the sun every three years and is one of the largest potentially hazardous asteroids.
A skyscraper-size asteroid discovered two weeks ago, named 2024 MK, is estimated to measure about 480 feet across, which is greater than the height of a 40-story building or the Great Pyramid of Giza. At its closest approach, the asteroid will pass within roughly 184,000 miles of our planet, about three-quarters the average distance between Earth and the moon. However, NASA has assured that this hefty space rock poses no threat to Earth and is classified as a "potentially hazardous asteroid" due to its large size and precarious orbit.
The close approach of 2024 MK comes just days after an even larger asteroid, (415029) 2011 UL21, flew past Earth. This mountain-sized object, measuring between 1.1 and 2.4 miles wide, came within 4.1 million miles from Earth, making it one of the largest asteroids to come close to our planet in 110 years. Despite its size, the Virtual Telescope Project reassured that it poses no threat to Earth.