The huge asteroid 2013 NK4 (proven in white) has an elliptical orbit that takes it previous the orbit of Mars (crimson) and in between the orbits of Venus (crimson) and Mercury (red). It orbits the solar each 378 days. It’ll safely move Earth on Monday, April 15, 2024. Symbol by way of NASA.
Massive asteroid will safely move Earth
A big house rock will safely move our planet on April 15, 2024, and it’s even sufficiently big to peer the usage of a small telescope. The asteroid is known as 2013 NK4. It has a diameter of two,000 toes (610 meters). That makes it about two times as massive as Apophis, the so-called Doomsday Asteroid that may move nearer than Earth’s synthetic satellites in 2029. However 2013 NK4 will move at a far farther distance, at greater than 8 occasions the space from Earth to the moon. And right here’s one thing cool: Folks with telescopes will have the ability to watch it fly through Earth!
Its closest means happens on Monday, April 15, 2024, at 14:51 UTC. However, because of its location within the sky, it’s going to be more straightforward to peer thru a telescope at the nights of April 16 and 17. See finder charts underneath.
Consideration astronomy fans! Are you on the lookout for a method to display your fortify for astronomy training? Donate to EarthSky.org right here and lend a hand us convey wisdom of the night time sky and our universe to other folks international.
The asteroid’s orbit
For the reason that asteroid every now and then passes close to Earth and is a pretty big house rock, 2013 NK4 holds the scary-sounding designation of Probably Hazardous Asteroid. Then again, we’ve recognized about asteroid 2013 NK4 since 2013 (thus the yr in its identify), and it has a well-defined orbit. There might be completely no threat because it passes through Earth on April 15.
2013 NK4 orbits the solar each 378 days. However its orbit is rather extra elliptical than ours. Its orbit is going out previous Mars after which dives in between the orbits of Venus and Mercury. The asteroid will move our planet at a pace of 36,909 miles in keeping with hour (59,400 km in keeping with hour) or 10.2 miles in keeping with 2nd (16.5 km in keeping with 2nd), relative to Earth.
Use a telescope to peer the huge asteroid
The use of “GoTo” or automatic telescopes makes staring at an asteroid more straightforward than ever sooner than. You’ll have the ability to see the asteroid within the telescope eyepiece or display screen as a slowly shifting level of sunshine in entrance of the background stars.
Right here’s a large view of the sky on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at 10:45 p.m CDT. Consult with Stellarium for an exact view of those constellations on April 16 out of your location on Earth. Representation by way of Eddie Irizarry/ Stellarium.
A better view. Observers the usage of a automatic or Pass-To telescope can level their software at this sort of reference stars round 10:45 p.m. CDT on April 16 to take a look at to identify asteroid 2013 NK4. The asteroid must seem as a “slow-moving celebrity” passing in entrance of the mounted stars within the sky. Representation by way of Eddie Irizarry/ Stellarium.
Right here’s a large view of the sky on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 10 p.m. CDT. Consult with Stellarium for an exact view of those constellations on April 17 out of your location on Earth. Representation by way of Eddie Irizarry/ Stellarium.
A better view. Observers the usage of a automatic or Pass-To telescope can level their software at this sort of reference stars round 10 p.m. CDT on April 17 to take a look at to identify asteroid 2013 NK4. The asteroid must seem as a “slow-moving celebrity” passing in entrance of the mounted stars within the sky. Representation by way of Eddie Irizarry/ Stellarium.
NASA might be learning NK4
Consistent with NASA/JPL, astronomers might be learning the gap rock the usage of the 230-foot (70-meter) DSS-14 Goldstone radar antenna in California from April 13-19. Additionally, on April 14, observations of this object are scheduled from Canberra, Australia, the usage of NASA’s 34-meter (112-foot) DSS-35 dish antenna.
Scientists be expecting to obtain extremely detailed delay-Doppler pictures, which must display the asteroid’s form and most likely permit them to higher refine the gap rock’s measurement.
Base line: A big asteroid – 2013 NK4, which spans about 2,000 toes throughout – will safely move through Earth on April 15, 2024. It’ll be visual in small telescopes on April 16 and 17.
Eddie Irizarry
View Articles
In regards to the Creator:
Eddie Irizarry of the Sociedad de Astronomía del Caribe (Astronomical Society of the Caribbean) has been a NASA Sun Gadget Ambassador since 2004. He loves public outreach and has revealed more than one astronomy articles for EarthSky, in addition to for newspapers in Puerto Rico. He has additionally presented dozens of meetings associated with asteroids and comets on the Arecibo Observatory.
Asteroid 33012EddieIrizarry, a 7.8 km house rock, has been named in his honor.
