Asteroid 2024 JN16 to fly past Earth at a very close distance of 0.06 LD on May 14

A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2024 JN16 will fly past Earth at a very close distance of 0.06 LD / 0.00017 AU (24 912 km / 15 480 miles) from the center of our planet at 09:50 UTC on May 14, 2024. This takes it just about 18 500 km (11 500 miles) from the surface, well within orbits of geostationary satellites — ~36 000 km (22 000 miles).

Asteroid 2024 JN16 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter between 3.2 and 7.1 m (10.5 – 23.3 feet).

It was first observed at the MARGO observatory in Nauchny, Crimea on May 12 — two days before its close approach to our planet.

This is the 42^nd known asteroid to fly past Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year and the third closest asteroid flyby so far this year, after 2024 HA at 0.040 LD on April 16 and 2024 GJ2 at 0.049 LD on April 11.

Featured image credit: CNEOS