Introduction

In a thrilling astronomical event, four asteroids will make their closest passes by Earth in just a mere 12 hours today, October 24th. The lineup includes two newly discovered asteroids, with one spotted as recently as a week ago! Among the 'potentially hazardous' space rocks, one stands as tall as a skyscraper—should we be worried?

Asteroid 2015 HM1

The first of the four asteroids to make an appearance is 2015 HM1, measuring around 100 feet across. This small cosmic traveler will reach its closest proximity to Earth at approximately 0:36 am ET (10:06 am IST), gliding by at a safe distance of 5.5 million kilometers.

Asteroid 2024 TP17

Next up, we have 2024 TP17, a slightly larger asteroid at about 170 feet wide. This rock will swoop past Earth at around 4:20 am ET (1:50 pm IST), coming within 4.7 million kilometers of our planet.

Asteroids 2002 NV16 and 2024 TR6

But the excitement doesn't stop there! The final two asteroids, 2002 NV16 and 2024 TR6, will zoom past Earth in quick succession, just four minutes apart. The 2002 NV16 is the star of the show, boasting an impressive size of 580 feet across. It will make its close approach at around 11:47 am ET (9:17 pm IST), ensuring a minimum distance of 4.5 million kilometers. Following closely behind is 2024 TR6, a more petite 150-foot-wide asteroid, set to fly by at 11:51 am ET (9:21 pm IST) with a distance of 5.6 million kilometers from Earth.

Discovery and Future Visits

What’s fascinating is that both 2024 TR6 and 2024 TP17 were discovered just this month—on October 7 and October 12, respectively—adding an air of unpredictability to this cosmic spectacle! Furthermore, it's worth noting that two of these asteroids are set for future visits. 2024 TR6 will make a return trip on August 5, 2039, flying alarmingly close at 1.9 million kilometers, while 2024 TP17 will resurface on October 25, 2040, at a shorter distance of 2.1 million kilometers.

NASA's Monitoring

NASA monitors near-Earth objects closely, discovering nearly 2,000 each year. While many of these asteroids don't pose any real threat due to their size or distance from Earth, 2002 NV16’s sizeable dimensions could spell disaster if it were on a collision course with our planet. Fortunately, astronomers assure us that at the moment, these cosmic wanderers are merely passing through—no need to panic!

Conclusion

Stay tuned for more updates on these asteroids and other cosmic events! Will they return with more surprises in our sky? Don’t miss out!