8/29/17

NEAR EARTH ASTEROID IS CLOSE




A huge asteroid will sweep by Earth on September 1st.  “Florence” is the largest object on record to come this close since NASA began tracking these types of near-Earth asteroids. 

The space rock measures 2.7 miles across and will pass by Earth at a distance of 4.4 million miles. This is called a “safe close shave”.

As this asteroid flies by, astronomers will capture radar images to learn more about its exact size and detailed surface features.

You can view this event through telescopes now as Florence begins to brighten in the night sky and streak through the constellations Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius and Delphinus.


The flyby this Friday is the asteroid's closest approach since 1890 and it won't get this close to Earth again until after 2500. 




Kaye Manro
info and trajectory graphic
from space.com

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