Asteroid will zoom within 25,000 miles of Earth on Sunday; New Zealand will have closest seats
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A newly discovered asteroid will buzz Earth this weekend.
At closest approach Sunday, the 60-foot rock will pass a safe 25,000 miles over New Zealand. That’s about one-tenth the distance between here and the moon. It’s also beyond the orbit of our highest communication and weather satellites.
NASA says this latest near-Earth asteroid — called 20214 RC (R-C) — poses no threat to either the home planet or orbiting spacecraft. A space rock of about the same size blasted through the atmosphere over Russia’s Ural Mountains in 2013, causing considerable damage.
Astronomers in Arizona detected 2014 RC the night of Aug. 31.
Stargazers will need telescopes to see Sunday’s flyby. If you miss it, don’t worry. It will be back in the neighbourhood again one day.
___
Online:
NASA: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-295
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Related Articles
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.