NASA warns of massive 120-foot asteroid set to flyby Earth at high speed just a day before Christmas

By Gargi Chaudhry | First Published Dec 20, 2024, 9:40 AM IST

Asteroid 2024 XN1, about 120 feet wide, will pass Earth on December 24 at a safe distance of 4,480,000 miles. While not a threat, its close approach allows scientists to study it and underscores the importance of planetary defense.

Scientists are closely monitoring asteroid 2024 XN1, scheduled to pass Earth on December 24. The asteroid is around 120 feet in size and travels 4,480,000 miles—16 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. It was traveling at 14,743 kilometers per hour. The scientists describe this incident as a "near miss," but they also state that the flyby poses no threat to Earth.

However, asteroids like 2024 XN1 are crucial to comprehending the origins of the early solar system. Using cutting-edge tracking technology, NASA is closely monitoring the asteroid to determine its trajectory. Although this asteroid is not a threat, its passage serves as a reminder to all that planetary defence measures must continue.

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The largest of the next five asteroids to approach Earth closely is asteroid 2024 XN1. NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard, which monitors asteroids and comets passing relatively close to Earth, is keeping a close eye on this enormous space rock, which has a diameter of about 120 feet.

The date, size, and distance from Earth of each object's closest approach are all displayed on the Asteroid Watch dashboard. Users may get further details about each asteroid's size and distance from Earth by hovering over the contact date.

Despite the fact that 2024 XN1 is the largest of the impending asteroids, experts guarantee that Earth is not in danger from any of them. The dashboard serves to inform the public and emphasises the significance of keeping an eye on space rocks for possible hazards in the future.

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NASA monitors space pebbles using state-of-the-art technologies. Radar systems and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory enable in-depth tracking. Samples have also been collected by missions like OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 to aid in the understanding of the solar system's past. The flyby of 2024 XN1 serves as a reminder of the necessity of planetary defense even though it does not provide an imminent threat. Keeping an eye on near-Earth objects is still essential to protecting the planet.

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