Today, Asteroid 2024 ON, which measures about 720 feet in diameter, will make a safe pass by Earth. It will come within 997,793 kilometers of our planet, which is more than twice the distance from Earth to the Moon. Despite its close approach, the asteroid is moving at a high speed of 40,233 km/h. It will reach its closest point to Earth on September 17.

Discovered by the ATLAS Sky Survey on July 27, the asteroid will be visible through a live stream on virtualtelescope.eu/webtv today, starting at 19:30 UTC (1:00 AM September 16).

NASA's Near-Earth Object Observations Program, managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, is closely monitoring this event using optical telescopes to study the asteroid’s composition, shape, and size. Additionally, NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) is prepared to track and potentially deflect the asteroid if necessary. According to the JPL Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), such close encounters with asteroids are expected approximately once every decade. While today’s event is noteworthy, it’s common for several other asteroids to pass near Earth without posing any threat. For instance, asteroids 2024 RQ5, roughly the size of a bus, and 2024 RM10, about the size of an airplane, are also passing by today without causing any concerns.