Near-Earth Object
2024 MC
NASA ID: 54448114
2024 MC will pass Earth on 25 December 2026 at a distance of 157.14 lunar distances (LD) - about 60,402,759 km - travelling at 81,324 km/h. Its estimated diameter is between 42 and 94 metres, roughly the size of a football pitch (around 105 m long). NASA does not classify it as potentially hazardous.
Close Approach Date
25 December 2026
In 187 days
Miss Distance
157.14 LD
60,402,759 km
157 times the Moon's distance from Earth
Velocity
81,324 km/h
2.9 times the orbital speed of the International Space Station
Est. Diameter
42–94 m
Absolute Magnitude
H = 24.01
The brightness measure astronomers use to estimate size
Hazard Classification
Not Hazardous
The real orbit in 3D
The actual path of 2024 MC around the Sun, computed from JPL orbital elements. Drag to rotate, scroll to zoom, and use the time controls to run the orbit forwards or back.
Every recorded pass
Each dot is one close approach of 2024 MC to Earth between 1910 and 2089, from JPL's records. Lower means closer: a dot under the dashed line passed nearer than the Moon. The orange dot is the approach on this page.
Size Comparison
Reading the Numbers
- A lunar distance (LD) is the average gap between Earth and the Moon, about 384,400 km. It is the standard yardstick for close approaches. Read more →
- Diameter estimates come from brightness. A dark surface reflects less light than a bright one, so the true size can sit anywhere in the quoted range. Read more →
- Potentially hazardous is a watch-list label based on size and orbital proximity. It does not mean an impact is expected. Read more →
