Speeding Asteroid Will Not Hit Earth On Wednesday, But It Will Get Close
- 7 years ago
Much to the relief of humankind, NASA recently announced that a fairly large asteroid headed this way and arriving on April 19 will not hit Earth.
Much to the relief of humankind, NASA recently announced that a fairly large asteroid headed this way and arriving on April 19 will not hit Earth.
However, the speeding space object, officially known as 2014 JO25, will get relatively close. It is expected to pass at a distance of 1.1 million miles. That’s about 4.6 times the space existing between our planet and the moon.
The asteroid was first noticed in 2014, and studies have revealed that it measures about 2,000 feet and has a surface that is very reflective. Its brightness could very well make it visible to those peering into the sky through small optical telescopes.
The best times to catch a glimpse of 2014 JO25 are the two nights following its April 19 arrival. The next opportunity to see the asteroid whiz by at this proximity isn’t anticipated to come for another 500 years.
NASA intends to make the most of this appearance and notes, “astronomers plan to observe it with telescopes around the world to learn as much about it as possible. Radar observations are planned…and the resulting radar images could reveal surface details as small as a few meters.”
Much to the relief of humankind, NASA recently announced that a fairly large asteroid headed this way and arriving on April 19 will not hit Earth.
However, the speeding space object, officially known as 2014 JO25, will get relatively close. It is expected to pass at a distance of 1.1 million miles. That’s about 4.6 times the space existing between our planet and the moon.
The asteroid was first noticed in 2014, and studies have revealed that it measures about 2,000 feet and has a surface that is very reflective. Its brightness could very well make it visible to those peering into the sky through small optical telescopes.
The best times to catch a glimpse of 2014 JO25 are the two nights following its April 19 arrival. The next opportunity to see the asteroid whiz by at this proximity isn’t anticipated to come for another 500 years.
NASA intends to make the most of this appearance and notes, “astronomers plan to observe it with telescopes around the world to learn as much about it as possible. Radar observations are planned…and the resulting radar images could reveal surface details as small as a few meters.”