Radar Images Show Large Object Drifting Past The Earth

A newly discovered near-Earth asteroid, 2024 ON, has caught the attention not only for its close flyby but also for its unusual, peanut-like shape. Despite being classified as “potentially hazardous,” the asteroid passed Earth safely on September 16, 2024, coming within 621,000 miles.

Discovered in July by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Hawaii, 2024 ON measures an impressive 1,150 feet in length, comparable to the height of the Empire State Building. The asteroid’s peculiar shape stems from its nature as a contact binary. This means it’s formed by two smaller bodies touching, creating a larger, connected structure. NASA’s radar imagery, captured by the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone Solar System Radar, shows one lobe of the asteroid is about 50 percent larger than the other, linked by a distinct “neck.” About 14 percent of asteroids over 660 feet in size are contact binaries, further adding to the intrigue surrounding 2024 ON.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first peanut-shaped asteroid to zoom by Earth recently. In August 2024, a similar asteroid named 2024 JV33 passed by, reinforcing the frequency with which these unique celestial objects show up near our planet.

Fortunately, neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth in the foreseeable future. Thanks to NASA’s Goldstone measurements, scientists have significantly reduced uncertainties surrounding 2024 ON’s future orbit, providing greater clarity on its path for decades to come.