SPACE
ATINY ASTEROID JUST SNUCK BE TWEEN EARTH AND THE MOON
WORDS SAMANTHA MATHEWSON
Did you know?
Vesta, the largest asteroid, is 329 miles wide
On 12 February, an asteroid named 2024 CY1 travelled within 75,278 miles of Earth, which is about 31 per cent of the average distance to the Moon. 2024 CY1 was discovered on 9 February, only three days before its close approach. Astronomers spotted the asteroid using the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope located near the summit of Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii. Pan-STARRS 2, which stands for Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, is designed to hunt for near-Earth objects, such as asteroids and comets, that may pose a risk for potential Earth impact. Most near-
Earth objects are asteroids that range in size from about 3.0 metres to nearly 25 miles across. Measuring between 3.8 and 8.4 metres in diameter, 2024 CY1 is a relatively small asteroid, posing no risk to Earth.