The discovery and tracking of 2024 LB4 is part of NASA’s ongoing efforts to monitor Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) that could potentially pose a threat to our world. While the words “plane-sized” may conjure images of a catastrophic impact, it’s important to understand the cosmic context and scale. The distance that 2024 LB4 will pass is roughly eight times the distance between the Earth and the Moon, so is considered safe by astronomical standards.
Representative image
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) keeps a close eye on these objects through its Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), which uses a network of telescopes and radar systems to calculate the orbit, size, and potential hazard of asteroids like 2024 LB4, one of many that regularly pass by Earth, a reminder that the solar system’s environment is dynamic and constantly changing.
For those unfamiliar, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a renowned research and development center that specializes in building and operating robotic planetary probes. JPL is dedicated to exploring the solar system and beyond, with an emphasis on robotic missions that study planets, moons, comets, and asteroids. The lab also develops technologies and missions to monitor changes in Earth’s atmosphere, climate, and surface.
Tracking an asteroid is a complex process of observing an object over time to refine its orbit and predict its future course. For 2024 LB4, observations have provided enough data that scientists are confident that the asteroid’s journey will not end in a collision with Earth. However, studying objects like this can provide valuable insights into the composition and behavior of asteroids, informing future missions and planetary defense strategies.
NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) is tasked with identifying and mitigating potential threats from NEOs. PDCO works with other U.S. agencies and international partners to develop and coordinate efforts to protect Earth from impacts. One such effort is the Dual Asteroid Reorientation Test (DART) mission, which successfully redirected a small moon of the binary asteroid Didymos, demonstrating a viable method for redirecting an asteroid’s orbit.
The upcoming close approach of asteroid 2024 LB4 is not an isolated event: it is part of a larger group of asteroids that will make their closest approach to Earth in June 2024. This includes asteroid 2024 LZ2, which will come within 823,000 miles of Earth on June 14th, and asteroid 2024 LH3, a larger 150-foot object that will maintain a safe distance of 3,090,000 miles on June 16th.
Studying and monitoring asteroids is essential to expanding our knowledge of the universe and protecting our planet. While 2024 LB4 is not a threat, it is evidence of NASA and its partners’ ability to closely monitor space. The wisdom we gain from these close interactions will expand our understanding and prepare us to deal with any challenges that may arise from our celestial neighbors in the future.
Did you like this article? Let us know in the comments below.