Outreach

Near-Earth asteroids

During the month of July, several asteroids of considerable size will pass close to our planet.

We begin the month with the asteroid (523808) 2007 ML24 passing by on July 5 at 12:48 hours UT at 35.21 lunar distances (LD) from Earth, its size has been estimated between 260 meters and 800 meters. Later, on July 14, at 16:08 hours UT, the asteroid (187040) 2005 JS108, almost the same size, between 270 and 850 meters, will pass at a similar distance of 33.79 LD.

Near the end of the month we will have an exceptional event, as two larger asteroids will be passing very close to Earth. On July 28 at 02:47 UT, (523664) 2012 OD1, an asteroid estimated to be between 360 meters and 1.1 kilometers in size, will come within just 14.89 LD of Earth, while a day later on July 29 at 17:50 UT, (357621) 2005 EG94, which measures between 320 meters and one kilometer, will pass a little further away, at 48.81 LD from Earth.

The large variations in the estimation of the sizes of near-Earth asteroids are due to the fact that, in most cases, the surface mineralogical composition of the asteroids is not known and the sizes are estimated from the values ​​of the albedos (capacity of bodies in the solar system to reflect sunlight) known for these objects. We know that there is a relationship between the albedos, sizes and brightness of the asteroids we measure on the Earth's surface.

All of these asteroids are potentially dangerous for our planet due to the devastating consequences that could arise from a possible collision of these celestial bodies with the Earth. If an asteroid measuring 250 meters were to hit the Earth, it could cause damage on a regional scale, while one measuring between 800 and 1,500 meters could cause continental damage. If the size of the asteroid is greater than 2 kilometers, the damage it will cause is on a planetary scale.

List of large asteroids that will pass close to Earth in July 2024.