On February 22, Earth will witness the passage of a newly discovered asteroid, dubbed 2024 DW, as it zips by at a proximity closer than our moon. Although this asteroid, measuring approximately 42 feet (13 meters) wide, may sound formidable, rest assured, it poses no threat to our planet.
As per NASA’s observations, asteroid 2024 DW will traverse within a mere 140,000 miles (225,000 kilometers) of Earth during its flyby. To put this into perspective, this distance is closer than the average separation to the moon, which orbits at about 239,000 miles (385,000 kilometers) from Earth.
This upcoming encounter is just one of several “potentially hazardous asteroids” scheduled to approach Earth on February 22. However, asteroid 2024 DW will hold the record for proximity, with another asteroid of similar size trailing behind at a distance of 482,000 miles (775,000 km). Meanwhile, an asteroid the size of a jumbo jet will maintain a comfortable distance of 2.5 million miles (4 million km) from Earth during its passage, according to NASA’s data.
The discovery of asteroid 2024 DW was a recent development, initially spotted on February 19 by astronomers participating in the Mt. Lemmon Survey. This survey, an integral component of the ongoing Catalina Sky Survey, remains dedicated to tracking near-Earth asteroids that could potentially pose a threat to our planet.
Utilizing the Steward Observatory at Mt. Lemmon Station in the Santa Catalina Mountains of Arizona, astronomers swiftly identified the asteroid. Subsequent observations conducted with a University of Hawaii telescope atop the Mauna Kea volcano confirmed the findings, further solidifying our understanding of this celestial visitor.
Amidst such celestial events, astronomers and NASA scientists maintain vigilance, continually monitoring for near-Earth asteroids that could potentially pose an impact risk. Notable milestones in this ongoing effort include NASA’s successful test of the DART spacecraft in September 2022, which aimed to deflect small asteroids. Additionally, in September 2023, the agency’s OSIRIS-REx mission brought back samples from asteroid Bennu, shedding light on the composition of these enigmatic space rocks.
