Asteroid 2024 MK Set for Safe Earth Flyby This Weekend

Asteroid 2024 MK Set for Safe Earth Flyby This Weekend

Asteroid 2024 MK Set for Safe Earth Flyby This Weekend

An asteroid named 2024 MK is expected to pass close to Earth this weekend, offering a unique opportunity for skywatchers around the globe. Experts assure that the asteroid poses no danger to our planet.

Discovered merely two weeks ago by a South African observatory, the asteroid measures between 120 and 260 meters in diameter. It will make its closest approach on Saturday morning, coming within approximately three-quarters of the distance to the Moon.

“Asteroids of this size pass near Earth about once every 25 years,” said Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. Smaller asteroids frequently come close to Earth without incident.

Recently, a much larger asteroid, measuring 2,310 meters, also safely passed by Earth. Although it was observable only with professional telescopes due to its distance, 2024 MK might be visible to amateur astronomers equipped with the right gear and timing.

Observers in different parts of the world, including Asia, may catch a glimpse of the asteroid. For those in the United States, waiting until Saturday night is advisable, as the asteroid will be more visible without the sun’s glare.

If you miss this celestial event, there’s another opportunity on the horizon. On April 13, 2029, the asteroid Apophis will pass close to Earth, expected to be visible to the naked eye from parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

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