Forget distant fly-bys of giant rocks—this plane-sized asteroid will come within 1.7 million km of Earth this week!

While the internet is abuzz with reports of several large asteroids making distant fly-bys past Earth this week, shouldn’t the real concern be the smaller, sneakier asteroids that come perilously near our planet? That’s why we bring you updates on Asteroid (NEO) 2024 MH1, which is set to make a notable close approach to Earth on July 26, 2024.

Come Friday, this intriguing near-Earth object (NEO) will make its closest approach to our planet in a decade! NASA reports that it will come within 0.012007 Astronomical Units, or just 1,796,166 kilometres, of Earth.

This distance is about 4.7 times the average distance between the Earth and Moon, putting it well within our world's orbit. Although this is relatively close, 2024 MH1 does not pose any immediate threat to the Earthlings.
Estimated to be approximately 91 feet (28 metres) in diameter, 2024 MH1 is comparable in size to an aeroplane. While huge for us humans, it is merely a modest-sized asteroid in the grand scheme of celestial objects.

In a hypothetical scenario where an asteroid of this size does collide with Earth, global devastation is unlikely. However, it could still inflict considerable local damage, depending on its speed, angle of entry and impact location.

The exact composition of 2024 MH1 is not fully characterised. But many similar-sized asteroids are composed of rock and metal, providing insights into the building blocks of our solar system.
With a current visual magnitude of 21.95, the 2024 MH1 is quite dim and will be nearly impossible to observe with standard telescopes. Only specialised equipment and long-exposure astrophotography techniques will allow astronomers to capture images of this asteroid. Its low brightness underscores the importance of advanced observational techniques in tracking NEOs.

In fact, the monitoring of 2024 MH1 is part of a broader initiative to track near-Earth objects. Organisations like NASA and various astronomical observatories continuously observe these objects to gather data on their orbits, sizes and compositions. This information is crucial for preparing for any potential future encounters with larger asteroids.

Speaking of, at least four other larger asteroids—two as big as a building and a stadium!—are also set to zoom past Earth this week. However, they will do so from a distance of at least 3.9 million km or more, with none coming as close as 2024 MH1.