An asteroid large enough it could do some damage if it were to impact Earth will make a rare pass by us this week that will bring it closer than the moon. Fortunately, it will sail harmlessly right on by our planet.
In the process, though, it will become bright enough to see with binoculars, another rarity for a near-Earth object and one of the brightest such events in recent years. Most asteroids passing closer than the moon are so small they can only be seen by advanced telescopes or sky surveys and would burn up completely in the atmosphere were they to impact Earth .by the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center.
Astronomers assure us there is no chance of impact, but on the cosmic scale this is actually a pretty close shave for an object of this size. Consider that the bolide that exploded over Russia in 2013, blowing out thousands of windows, was less than one-tenth the size of 2024 MK. This asteroid’s dimensions put it in what is colloquially referred to as the “city-killer” category. In other words, this hunk of cosmic detritus colliding with a metropolitan area wouldn’t be pretty.
But once again, there is nothing to actually worry about in this case. If you want to try and spot the asteroid yourself using a backyard telescope or pair of binoculars, you can use a tracking tool like, which puts 2024 MK’s current position in the constellation Centaurus. If you’re unable to try and spot it yourself or don’t have the gear, theOur community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations.