NASA ALERT! 368-foot giant asteroid hurtling toward Earth

2015 KJ19 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids, notorious for their orbits that occasionally cross Earth’s orbit. The diameter of this giant is estimated at 112 meters (368 feet), which is roughly the size of a building. While not exactly a planet killer, it is undoubtedly a significant space rock with the potential to capture the imagination of sky watchers.

Despite the impressive speed, there is no reason to lose sleep in 2015 KJ19. The good news is that this asteroid will remain a safe distance of 6 million kilometers (3.7 million miles) from Earth during its close encounter. To put that into perspective, that’s 15 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon! NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is tasked with meticulously tracking asteroids and comets to assess potential impact threats. Fortunately, 2015 KJ19 is well outside the designated “potentially hazardous” zone. This zone includes objects larger than 460 feet (140 meters) that travel within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometers) of Earth’s orbit.

How NASA tracks near-Earth objects

CNEOS achieves its important mission by relying on a global network of observatories, including invaluable contributions from dedicated amateur astronomers. This joint effort plays a critical role in accurately determining the orbits of near-Earth objects. Additionally, powerful NASA-funded observatories like Pan-STARRS and NEOWISE are at the forefront of tracking these celestial bodies and ensuring we have a comprehensive understanding of their movements.

While the asteroid’s brightness could make it invisible to the naked eye, astronomy enthusiasts with telescopes may have a chance to catch a glimpse of 2015’s KJ19 as it approaches.