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NASA collects asteroid samples from deep space
FILE, Feb. 2024 - NASA collected its first-ever asteroid samples from deep space. Daniel Brown at Nottingham Trent University joined LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow to discuss the significance of the mission.
In a few weeks, skygazers will be able to see asteroid "2024 ON" as it swings by Earth at an astronomically close, but still safe distance, according to the Virtual Telescope Project.
Measuring at least 720 feet wide, or about the length of two football fields, the asteroid will be visible from the Northern Hemisphere.
FILE - Large planetoid in empty space. Getty Images
The asteroid will zoom past Earth from just about 620,000 miles, or about 2.6 times the distance between Earth and the Moon, making its flyby from a close but safe distance. A similar close approach happens on average one time every 10 years, the Virtual Telescope Project said.
Skygazers can watch its approach starting on Sept. 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET through the Virtual Telescope live feed online here.
Asteroids are pieces of rock left over after the solar system formed 4.6 billion years ago, NASA said.