A recently discovered asteroid, named 2024 GJ2, made an exceptionally close approach to Earth just two days after its detection. Despite its nearness, the asteroid posed no danger and is not expected to return for another 70 years.
Measuring between 2.5 and 5 meters (8.2 and 16 feet), 2024 GJ2 is approximately the size of a car. Astronomers estimated that it would pass within a mere 12,000 miles (19,300 kilometers) of Earth, equivalent to just three percent of the distance between Earth and the moon. Due to its small size, the asteroid would likely have burned up in Earth’s atmosphere had its orbit intersected ours more directly.
The closest approach occurred at 2:28:42 p.m. EDT (18:28:42 GMT) on Thursday, with the asteroid passing at a distance of 7,641 miles (12,298 kilometers) from Earth.
Although this flyby was extremely close, the next encounter with 2024 GJ2 is not expected until 2093. During this future approach, the asteroid will pass at a distance of approximately 127,970 miles (205,947 kilometers) from Earth, significantly farther than its recent flyby.
NASA’s near-Earth objects coordination center has stated that nearly 35,000 near-Earth asteroids have been cataloged to date, with only a small fraction posing any potential threat to the planet.
