Asteroid 2024 EJ4 flew past Earth at just 0.07 LD

A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2024 EJ4 flew past Earth at a distance of just 0.07 LD / 0.00018 AU (26 246 km / 16 308 miles) from the center of our planet at 17:22 UTC on March 13, 2024.

This is the 19^th known asteroid to fly past Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year and the third so far this month. It is also the closest flyby of the year and the 38^th closest on record.

2024 EJ4 was first observed at Catalina Sky Survey, Arizona on March 13 at 04:30 UTC – less than 13 hours before its close approach to our planet.

It belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter between 3.5 and 5.8 m (11.5 – 19 feet).

Featured image credit: CNEOS