NASA captures detailed images of passing asteroids, enhancing insights on planetary defence

NASA's JPL recently used radar to capture images of two passing asteroids. Asteroid 2011 UL21, discovered by Catalina Sky Survey in 2011, passed safely at 4.1 million miles on June 27. It's nearly a mile wide and has a small moonlet orbiting it. Asteroid 2024 MK passed closer on June 29, at 184,000 miles, with angular features and surface details seen in radar scans. These observations aid planetary defense efforts, providing crucial data on NEOs and their characteristics.