2024 MK
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 2024 MK on 30 June 2024 by Goldstone Radar | |
| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | ATLAS South Africa, Sutherland |
| Discovery date | 16 June 2024 |
| Designations | |
| 2024 MK | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Uncertainty parameter 0 | |
| Observation arc | 3810 days |
| Perihelion | 1.0072311 AU |
| 3.3 years | |
| 29.4026° (M) | |
| Inclination | 8.40128° |
| Earth MOID | 0.00277 AU |
| Mars MOID | 0.23315 AU |
| Jupiter MOID | 1.82392 AU |
| TJupiter | 3.4 |
| Physical characteristics | |
| ~150 m | |
| 8.5 at close approach | |
| 22.01 | |
2024 MK is a S-type near-Earth object with a diameter of around 150 meters. It flew past Earth on 29 June 2024.[1] It was discovered by ATLAS South Africa, Sutherland on 16 June 2024.[2] This asteroid travels both in the main-belt and in the near-Earth region. It passed Earth on 29 June 2024 at a distance of 184,000 miles (295,000 kilometers). That distance is about 0.77 lunar distances (LD).[2] The close approach with Earth changed 2024 MK's orbit, shortening its orbital period by about 24 days. Though Earth's gravity brought it nearer to Earth, the object poses no threat, and the next close approach it will make will be in 3037.[3]
While it was not going to hit Earth, an asteroid of it size could cause considerable damage if it were to hit Earth. The discovery of 2024 MK just a bit before its close encounters with Earth highlights the ongoing need to improve the ability to detect for potentially hazardous asteroids and near-Earth asteroids.[4]
Observations have shown that the asteroid 2024 MK is compositionally most analogous to an ordinary L chondrite. There was also no detected surface deposits of water or hydroxide on 2024 MK.[5]
Its close orbital flyby of Earth also did not affect its surface in any major way. If this did have an effect on the asteroid, it was too little to be detected. If 2024 MK's surface had been significantly refreshed, it would be more similar to a Q-type asteroid. This means that multiple close planetary encounters are necessary to resurface an asteroid.[5]
See also
- (415029) 2011 UL21 – a near-Earth object that made a close approach on 27 June 2024
- 2024 ON – a near-Earth object that made a close approach on 17 September 2024
References
- ↑ "Detailed Planetary Radar Observations of Asteroid 2024 MK". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
- 1 2 "NASA's Planetary Radar Tracks Two Large Asteroid Close Approaches". NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ↑ Baker, Harry (9 July 2024). "Earth's gravity knocked pyramid-size asteroid off course during recent ultra-close flyby, NASA images reveal". livescience.com. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ↑ "Two large asteroids safely pass Earth just 42 hours apart". www.esa.int. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- 1 2 McGraw, Lauren E.; Thomas, Cristina A.; Lister, Tim A.; Williams, Becky J.; Rivkin, Andy S.; Holler, Bryan; Young, Leslie A. (December 2024). "Comprehensive Study of Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 MK: Testing Planetary Encounters as a Source for Surface Refreshing". The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 977 (1): L25. Bibcode:2024ApJ...977L..25M. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad9728. ISSN 2041-8205.
2024 in space | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Space probe launches  |
|  | |
| Impact events | |||
| Selected NEOs | |||
| Discoveries |
| ||
| Comets | |||
