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Near-Earth Object

2024 SO2

NASA ID: 54482429

Safe

2024 SO2 will pass Earth on 22 January 2027 at a distance of 144.45 lunar distances (LD) - about 55,528,234 km - travelling at 53,155 km/h. Its estimated diameter is between 7 and 16 metres, roughly the size of a double-decker bus (around 11 m long). NASA does not classify it as potentially hazardous.

Close Approach Date

22 January 2027

In 215 days

Miss Distance

144.45 LD

55,528,234 km

Moon PHA limit

144 times the Moon's distance from Earth

Velocity

53,155 km/h

ISS

1.9 times the orbital speed of the International Space Station

Est. Diameter

7–16 m

Absolute Magnitude

H = 27.9

The brightness measure astronomers use to estimate size

Hazard Classification

Not Hazardous

The real orbit in 3D

The actual path of 2024 SO2 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 SO2 to Earth between 1908 and 2059, 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.

1925 1950 1975 2000 2025 2050 1 LDMoon's orbit 10 LD today 23 Sept 1908 - 4.48 LD13 Nov 1923 - 36.52 LD21 Sept 1937 - 38.65 LD3 Feb 1939 - 22.56 LD4 Oct 1952 - 20.64 LD20 Sept 1966 - 15.7 LD30 Jan 1968 - 33.98 LD17 Oct 1981 - 28.17 LD2 Feb 1997 - 22.51 LD7 Nov 2010 - 35.42 LD21 Sept 2024 - 3.06 LD9 Feb 2026 - 23.01 LD22 Sept 2059 - 2.71 LD Close approach date Miss distance (LD, log scale)

Size Comparison

Asteroid 7–16 m Double-decker bus 11 m long

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 →

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