Reports about a large asteroid passing through the Earth today is headlining the news as of this moment. According to experts, the said space rock will safely pass by our planet Wednesday in a close distance. Space enthusiasts and fans alike will get the chance to watch it on a live streaming.
Asteroids, also known as minor planets, are a common object on space that's been orbiting the solar system. The first of its kind was discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi, an Italian monk and astronomer, on January 1, 1801. And since then, scientists and researchers have been on the lookout and studied this space rock.
For the past years, many asteroids or space rocks have passed by the Earth already. One closest approach of a near-earth object (NEO) that was recorded was in 2004 when 2004 FU162 pass by 4,039 miles from Earth. And this year alone, five significant near asteroid approach was already documented last February and March.
And now, another asteroid has come to elapse near Earth today. According to Phys.Org, an asteroid of about 650 meters (approximately 2,000 feet) in size will streak past Earth Wednesday at a precarious secure distance. Astronomers already declared that there is no possibility that it will collide our planet but they say that this is the closest approach of a space rock of this size.
Named as 2014-JO25, the asteroid will move towards Earth at around 1.8 million kilometers (approximately 1.1 miles). It will pass by our planet after it has flown around the Sun and will continue its travel to Jupiter before it heads back the center of the Solar System.
Space.com further added that space fanatics can watch the event live on Slooh online website (click here) starting at 7 pm EDT (2300 GMT) today. The last time 2014-JO25 came close within Earth happened 400 years ago and will next visit our planet in 2600. Astronomers will get the chance to study the said asteroid more closely and hope to gather some meaningful information about it.
Furthermore, the next close encounter of an asteroid to Earth will happen in 2027 when 199-AN10 will fly by our planet at about 380,000 km (appr. 236,000 miles). The size of the said space rock is about half-mile wide (800 m).
