NASA Alert: Skyscraper-Sized Asteroid Racing Towards Earth at 29,000 Km/Hr

NASA has issued an alert for asteroid 2011 MW1, an Apollo-class asteroid approximately 380 feet in size, approaching Earth at a speed of 28,946 km/h. According to NASA's CNEOS data, the asteroid will be 2.4 million miles from Earth during its closest approach on July 25. Despite its skyscraper-like size, NASA confirms it poses no threat to Earth but will be closely monitored.

2011 MW1 is classified as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, though it is not deemed a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has identified around 35,000 NEOs. Asteroids like these are remnants from the solar system's formation, primarily orbiting the sun between Jupiter and Mars.

NASA’s Centre for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) monitors these objects, predicting their approaches and potential impacts. Various observatories, such as PAN-STARRS and the Catalina Sky Survey, support this mission, while initiatives like the DART mission aim to address potential celestial threats.