An asteroid measuring the equivalent of about five football fields across will zip past the Earth at a speed of 35,000mph next week. The interplanetary pinball will give skywatchers a rare chance to see it using strong binoculars.
The space rock called 2004 BL86 will get closest to Earth on Monday, Jan. 26 at 11:20 a.m. ET at a proximity of 745,000 miles, or about three times the distance between our planet and the moon.
While the mountain-sized asteroid gets astronomically close enough for backyard telescope owners to see, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) says that there are no risks of collision. In a statement, the U.S. space agency said that the large asteroid will safely pass the Earth, a flyby that will mark the closest a space rock this big gets near the Earth.
Although there are other asteroids that also get close to Earth, Monday's flyby is particularly special because the asteroid is the largest space rock to get near the planet until another giant asteroid known as 1999 AN10 will fly by our planet in 2027. Scientists estimate that the 2004 BL86 is about 0.5 kilometers in size based on its reflected brightness.
Another reason why the flyby is unusual is that it is expected to be bright enough; its view will not be limited for astronomers equipped with powerful telescopes. Those with backyard telescopes may also get treated with a glimpse of the space rock as it zips past our planet.
Paul Chodas from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory said that the asteroid will not be too far from Jupiter, and experienced amateur astronomers can find it because it moves in the sky.
"It's just a point of light," Chodas said, "so it doesn't look much different from other stars -- but the point is it doesn't belong. This star that shouldn't be there, that's the asteroid."
Asteroids are known to provide our planet with the building blocks of life and water. Experts also think that they can be a source of mineral ores and other natural resources in the future. These extraterrestrial rocks are also considered a valuable part of the quest to explore the solar system.
NASA scientists plan to gather more information about 2004 BL86 by observing it with microwaves. The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and Deep Space Network antenna in California will likewise attempt to gather science data and radar-generated images of the giant asteroid.
