Asteroid 2024 BJ, discovered only 10 days before its approach to Earth, was recorded by astronomers of the Virtual Telescope project. It is noted that at the closest distance, the asteroid was only 353,000 kilometers from our planet, which corresponds to about 92% of the average distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Participants in the Virtual Telescope project broadcast and photographed the asteroid as it approached. This object is one of 156 asteroids discovered in January 2024. Its name, which includes “2024,” refers to the time of its discovery.
As explained by the European Space Agency (ESA), the temporary designations of asteroids include the year of discovery and two letters that indicate the order of their discovery. Thus, asteroids discovered from January 1 to January 15 are designated AA, AB, AC, and so on. Asteroids found from January 16 to January 31 are designated as BA, BB, BC, and beyond. Thus, asteroid 2024 BJ was given this name because it was discovered after January 16.
However, it is worth noting that this name may be changed if further observations show that the asteroid has already been spotted before or is part of another asteroid. In this case, it will be given a different name. The astronomer who provides sufficient information to calculate the asteroid’s orbit has the privilege of choosing a permanent name for the asteroid, as he or she will be its discoverer.
2024 BJ is not the largest asteroid discovered in January 2024. At the moment, this question is still open – the characteristics and size of each asteroid require further study to determine the largest. However, it was the asteroid 2024 BJ that made the closest approach to Earth after its discovery.
The closest asteroid to Earth that has ever passed by was 1-2011 CQ1. This asteroid, about 2 meters in diameter, passed by the Earth at a distance of only 3,400 kilometers on February 4, 2011. This distance was a record for asteroids at the time. Such cases are very rare and it is unlikely that an asteroid of this size would pose a serious threat to the Earth. Such close flybys are the exception, not the rule, as asteroids usually pass at a much greater distance from our planet.
