Large, shiny asteroid to fly past earth on April 19
April 11, 2017
An asteroid known as 2014 JO25 is expected to pass by Earth on April 19 from a distance of about 1.1 million miles [1.8 million kilometers], according to NASA.
Fortunately, there is no possibility for the asteroid to collide with earth but this will be planet’s closest counter with an asteroid this size.
The asteroid, which was discovered nearly three years ago, is about 2,000 feet (650 metres) in size and twice as reflective as the moon.
It will approach the earth from the direction of the sun and become visible at night after April 19 onwards. It can be viewed through small optical telescopes for about two nights or less before it fades away.
While it is common for small asteroids to pass by Earth, but it is uncommon for a large asteroid to cross Earth this close. The last time a large asteroid passed by the planet was in September 2004, where Toutatis, a 3.1-mile (five-kilometre) asteroid, which approached within about four lunar distances.
The next such encounter is expected to occur in 2027 when the half-mile-wide (800-metre-wide) asteroid 1999 AN10 will fly by at one lunar distance, about 236,000 miles (380,000 kilometers), according to NASA.
The passing by of the asteroid is a unique opportunity to study the said asteroid and find more about its physical properties.
