World News
An asteroid of the size of a blue whale heading towards Earth? Here's what will happen next
2024 OR1 is a near-Earth asteroid approximately 110 feet wide, akin in size to a blue whale. It is moving at a high velocity of 30,381 kilometers per hour
NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at Jet Propulsion Laboratory first identified 2024 OR1. This detection is part of ongoing efforts to track NEOs that might pose threat
The asteroid's closest approach to Earth is scheduled for August 6, 2024, at about 6:41 PM IST. Despite its close proximity, NASA predicts that 2024 OR1 will safely pass by
Asteroids like 2024 OR1, remnants from the early solar system, offer insights into the formation of our solar system. Their study helps scientists understand celestial history
2024 OR1's approach follows other recent close encounters. On August 4, 2024, asteroid 2024 OC passed by Earth, and earlier in August, asteroids 2024 OE and 2024 OO also came close
NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) focuses on detecting and characterizing potentially hazardous asteroids