Space Rocks Zooming By: A Week of Near Misses

This week, Earth is in for a cosmic show as several asteroids zip past our planet. One of these space rocks, named 2024 UQ1, is as big as a bus and will come within 148, 000 miles of Earth. That's closer than the moon! NASA keeps a close eye on these Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) that hang out near our orbit. While 2024 UQ1 is not a threat, it's still exciting to know it's out there. Scientists use systems like ATLAS in Hawaii to spot these asteroids. Recently, they found a tiny one that will temporarily orbit Earth in October and November, acting like a mini moon. This one, called 2024 PT5, will get as close as 620, 000 miles. But 2024 UQ1 is the star of the show this week.It's important to note that not all asteroids are dangerous. NASA calls them potentially hazardous if they are as big as a building and come within about 4. 6 million miles of Earth. Luckily, 2024 UQ1 doesn't fit that description. This week isn't just about 2024 UQ1. An airplane-sized asteroid will fly by today, and more bus- and building-sized ones will make appearances on Monday. None of these are cause for alarm, though. It's just a busy week for space rocks!