NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has announced that two asteroids, 2024 TO4 and 2024 TX11, are set to pass by Earth on Tuesday. Both asteroids, approximately the size of a house, are being closely monitored by the American space agency for any unusual activity.
Of the two, asteroid 2024 TX11 is the larger, with a diameter of 54 feet. It will come within 1,750,000 miles of Earth. Meanwhile, asteroid 2024 TO4, measuring 45 feet—about the size of an airplane—will pass at a distance of 1,080,000 miles.
Due to their relatively small size, these asteroids won’t be visible to the naked eye, though specialized telescopes will allow scientists to observe them. Data collected during this event will help researchers gain further insights into these celestial bodies and their characteristics.
Just a few days earlier, on October 14, three other asteroids—2024 TA12 (about the size of a car), 2021 TK11, and 2024 TH3—passed near Earth.
Asteroids, which are rocky bodies made up of various metals and minerals, can also be considered minor planets. Typically ranging in size from 33 feet to 329 miles, most asteroids orbit the sun in the main asteroid belt. Occasionally, some escape the belt and are drawn toward Earth by its gravitational pull.
