Current:Home > InvestThis Valentine's Day, love is in the air and a skyscraper-sized asteroid is whizzing past Earth -TradeSphere
This Valentine's Day, love is in the air and a skyscraper-sized asteroid is whizzing past Earth
View
Date:2025-04-20 13:49:18
It's Valentine's Day, meaning love is in the atmosphere and a giant space rock is expected to pass by just outside of it. Well, maybe not that close, but still pretty close – 4.6 million kilometers or roughly 2.86 million miles – to be more precise.
The asteroid, named 2024 BR4 by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), is loosely estimated to measure between 140 and 300 meters, or 459 and 984 feet in diameter, which is taller than most skyscrapers. Due to its size, it has been deemed "potentially hazardous" by NASA.
Here's what to know about the celestial event.
We're not the only ones with an eclipse:Mars rover captures moon whizzing by sun's outline
When will asteroid 2024 BR4 pass by Earth?
Asteroid 2024 BR4 will pass by Earth on Feb. 14, 2024, around 11:00 UTC.
What is asteroid 2024 BR4?
See a video:NASA tracked a stadium-size asteroid that passed by Earth but was not a threat
The asteroid was first observed during the automatic Catalina Sky Survey in January and was soon after determined to be about 12 million kilometers, or 7.5 million miles, from Earth. It has since approached Earth steadily but is not expected to pass any closer than 4.6 million kilometers, which is still relatively close: a little less than twelve times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
2024 BR4 is believed to be part of a group of asteroids called Apollo, which has an orbit that sometimes overlaps with Earth's. Despite the group's closeness to our planet, scientists don't anticipate any significant impact threat for a few centuries.
Should we be worried about the asteroid?
While the object is traveling through space at about 9.86 kilometers per second, NASA has assured there is no threat of collision. With a tracking system that has recorded 33,000 near-Earth objects, the organization keeps close tabs on all observable space bodies that get a little too close.
This Valentine's Day is the closest this specific space object will get to Earth for the next 120 years, meaning we can rest assured that this asteroid, at least, isn't out to get us anytime soon.
veryGood! (428)
Related
- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
- Movie armorer challenges conviction in fatal shooting of cinematographer by Alec Baldwin
- Suspect accused of killing 3 Muslim men in Albuquerque found guilty of murder
- Shawn Johnson Shares the Hardest Part of Parenting 3 Kids Under 5
- San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
- Ex-girlfriend of actor Jonathan Majors files civil suit accusing him of escalating abuse, defamation
- Extra, Extra! Saie Debuts Their New Hydrating Concealer With A Campaign Featuring Actress Tommy Dorfman
- How to catch and what to know about Netflix's new NFL series 'Receiver'
- Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
- 2024 NIT begins: Tuesday's first-round schedule, times, TV for men's basketball games
Ranking
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Prepare for the Spring Equinox with These Crystals for Optimism, Abundance & New Beginnings
- Who is the highest-paid MLB player in 2024? These are the top 25 baseball salaries
- A California city wrestles with its history of discrimination against early Chinese immigrants
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- Richard Simmons says he's 'not dying' after motivational social media post causes 'confusion'
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Dust-up
- Tennessee nurse practitioner known as ‘Rock Doc’ gets 20 years for illegally prescribing opioids
Recommendation
Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
Americans love pensions. Where did they go? Will they ever return?
Odell Beckham Jr. says goodbye to Baltimore in social media post
Watch Orlando Bloom Push Himself to the Limit in Thrilling To The Edge Trailer
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Cisco ready for AI revolution as it acquires Splunk in $28 billion deal
Purdue’s Edey, Tennessee’s Knecht, UNC’s Davis headline the AP men’s college All-America teams
See Jax Taylor Make His Explosive Vanderpump Rules Return—and Epically Slam Tom Sandoval