NASA has issued an alert regarding a potentially hazardous asteroid, named 2024 ON, which is currently hurtling toward Earth at a speed of 25,000 mph. Expected to pass by on September 15, 2025, the asteroid, which is approximately 720 feet in diameter about the size of two cricket pitches or a 60-story skyscraper poses no immediate threat of collision, according to NASA’s latest assessments.
The asteroid’s closest approach will bring it within 0.62 million miles of Earth, or more than 2.5 times the distance between Earth and the moon. While this is considered a “close approach” by astronomical standards, NASA assures the public there is no risk of impact.
Asteroid 2024 ON was first detected by the Near-Earth Object Observations Programme on September 5, 2024. This program, led by G. Borisov, continues to monitor its trajectory closely. The Virtual Telescope Project has also noted the asteroid’s path, stating that another near-Earth object, asteroid 2024 RR3, will have a “close but safe” encounter with Earth on June 7, 2024, coming as close as 360,000 kilometers (about 93% of the lunar distance).
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, is conducting further studies on 2024 ON, utilizing radar and optical telescopes to determine its size, shape, and chemical composition. The Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) is also actively involved, reiterating that the risk of an apocalyptic collision is minimal.
NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are collaborating to study the compositional makeup of asteroid 2024 ON, gathering data to improve planetary defense strategies and deepen understanding of near-Earth objects. Despite the asteroid’s size and speed, experts emphasize that there is no cause for alarm regarding its upcoming passage.
