Asteroid 2024 JB2 is a part of the Apollo group of asteroids. These asteroids orbit the Sun relatively close to Earth. Asteroid 2024 JB2 is traveling at a very high speed of 63,683 kilometers per hour.
Asteroids are rocky bodies that orbit the Sun. They can range in size from small pebbles to objects that are many miles in diameter. While most asteroids pose no threat to Earth, a collision with a large asteroid could cause a massive disaster.
Fortunately, scientists at NASA have assured us that there is no need to be alarmed about Asteroid 2024 JB2. The asteroid will pass safely by Earth at a distance of approximately 2.75 million miles.
While most asteroids pose no threat to Earth, there is a small number that are classified as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs). PHAs are asteroids that are at least 460 feet in diameter and have orbits that bring them close to Earth's orbit.
NASA's Asteroid Watch program is a team of scientists and engineers who track near-Earth asteroids and comets. The program uses telescopes and other instruments to track the movements of these objects and to assess the potential hazard they may pose to Earth. Slide 6
Rocky leftovers! Asteroids are debris from our solar system's birth 4.6 billion years ago. A giant cloud collapsed, forming the Sun at its center. The rest flattened into a disk and clumped to create planets and asteroids
The majority of asteroids are composed of rocky material. However, some asteroids also contain other materials, such as clays or metals like nickel and iron. The specific composition of an asteroid depends on the materials that were available in the region of the solar system where it formed.
Asteroid watch! Scientists use Earth & space telescopes to track these rocky wanderers, learning size, makeup, and path. This helps us understand and prepare for potential asteroid threats. pen_spark