NASA Warns Of A Skyscraper-Sized Asteroid 2011 MW1 Speeding Towards Earth — What You Need To Know 

NASA's CNEOS has issued an alert for asteroid 2011 MW1, which will pass by Earth on July 25 at a distance of 2.4 million miles.

Representational image of asteroid Bennu.

Source : JPL/NASA

Asteroid Alert: NASA has issued an alert regarding asteroid 2011 MW1, which is speeding towards Earth at 28,946 km/h. This Apollo-class asteroid, approximately 380 feet in size, is set to make its closest approach to Earth on July 25, at a distance of 2.4 million miles, according to the Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), NASA.

Despite its proximity, 2011 MW1, classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, does not fall under the category of 'Potentially Hazardous Asteroids' (PHAs). It is considered a very small asteroid whose orbit brings it near Earth but not alarmingly close. NASA has identified about 35,000 Near Earth Objects (NEOs) so far.

While the size of 2011 MW1, comparable to a skyscraper, may seem concerning, NASA assures that it poses no threat to Earth. However, the space agency continues to monitor its trajectory closely.

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Asteroids Facts

Asteroids are remnants from the formation of the solar system, primarily orbiting the sun in the main asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. As of July 2024, there are 1,385,217 known asteroids or minor planets, according to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Solar System Dynamics website.

Composed mainly of rocky, dusty, and metallic materials, most asteroids are found in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. However, some have orbits that bring them into the inner solar system, including near-Earth asteroids, while others are located beyond Neptune's orbit.

CNEOS is tasked with tracking and characterising the orbits of all NEOs, predicting their approaches to Earth and assessing any potential impact risks. NEOs are defined as asteroids or comets that come within 120 million miles of the sun, bringing them into Earth's orbital neighbourhood.

Space agencies are developing technologies to mitigate potential threats from celestial bodies, such as the DART mission, aimed at testing methods for asteroid deflection.