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A LORRY-SIZED asteroid will pass near Earth tonight in one of the closest approaches to our planet ever recorded.
However, NASA has emphasised that it poses no danger and that “there is no risk of the asteroid impacting Earth”.
Asteroid 2023 BU, which was recently discovered by an amateur astronomer, will zoom by the southern tip of South America at around 4:27 pm PST on Thursday (00:27 Irish time Friday), according to NASA.
It will pass just 2,200 miles (3,600 kilometres) from Earth’s surface, much closer than many geostationary satellites orbiting the planet.
But there is no risk that the asteroid will hit Earth, NASA said in a statement yesterday.
Even if it did, the asteroid measuring 3.5-8.5 metres (11-28 feet) across would largely disintegrate in the Earth’s atmosphere, potentially just resulting in a few small meteorites.
It was discovered on Saturday from an observatory in Crimea by amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov, who previously spotted an interstellar comet in 2019.
Dozens of observations were then carried out by observatories across the world.
NASA’s Scout impact hazard assessment system quickly determined that the asteroid would miss Earth, the US space agency said.
“Despite the very few observations, it was nonetheless able to predict that the asteroid would make an extraordinarily close approach with Earth,” said NASA’s Davide Farnocchia who helped develop Scout.
“In fact, this is one of the closest approaches by a known near-Earth object ever recorded.”
The asteroid will come so close that its trajectory around the Sun will be significantly altered.
Previously it took the asteroid 359 days to complete its orbit around the Sun, but after this close call with Earth, it will now take 425, NASA said.
More information on asteroids and near-Earth objects can be found here.
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Spotted by an amateur, only days in advance.!!!
What were the expert’s doing ?
Watching Netflix ?
@Tom Kelly: it’s a big sky!
@Tom Kelly: They were (and are!) keeping a close eye on the big dangerous ones.
@Tom Kelly: I remember watching a programme where they estimated that they only know of and track appropriately 10% of near earth objects. And while anything on a collision course with earth would probably be spotted in advance it would depend on the path it took towards us. Asteroids and comments near the sun or coming from that direction would be hard to spot till it was too late. Much like the big meteor that exploded over Russia a few years back. But if Deep Impact taught us anything its that if you have a scrambler bike you can outrun anything.
Artic or rigid?
Has anyone contacted Bruce Willis and the lads?
@BlaaBoy: They only deal with Texas sized asteroids
@BlaaBoy: they are a bit old now. Not much maco men to replace them these days. Maybe the Rock and Van Diesel but we don’t have a spaceship big enough for their egos .
Look up!!!
Experts say it could be heading towards Davos in Switzerland.
An asteroid of that size would have very little impact anyway, somebody would end up with a new swimming pool in their back yard or something
@Aidy McBride: its too small, even asteroids many times that size explode once they hit the atmosphere.
@Pauline Gallagher: The Chelyabinsk meteor a few years ago was about 18m across so this new one is just a fraction of the size.
Though I do remember the Chelyabinsk meteor impacted the same day another larger asteroid had a near miss with earth!
I wouldnt believe the hail mary from a Russan, astronomer or not.
@Frank Flanagan: or yank
Huh…expected to read it’s 10million kms away…3600 kms in the grand scheme of things is pretty damn close
Don’t look up.
have your say