Asteroid over a mile wide on course to pass Earth this week

Scientists said the asteroid looks like it is wearing a facemask
@NAICobservatory
Ellena Cruse27 April 2020

A mile-wide asteroid is on course to pass the Earth on Wednesday at a distance 16 times further than the moon.

Named 1998 OR2, the mound of space rock should not pose any danger as it will pass 3.9 million miles away, scientists say.

Those studying it have remarked that the latest image of the mass look like it is wearing a face mask due to dust and debris passing around it.

The asteroid was first spotted by NASA in 1998 and the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has been tracking its movements towards the Earth ever since.

Scientist have been following the asteroid's course
@NAICobservatory

“The small-scale topographic features such as hills and ridges on one end of asteroid 1998 OR2 are fascinating scientifically,” said Dr Anne Virkki, head of Planetary Radar at the observatory.

“But since we are all thinking about Covid-19 these features make it look like 1998 OR2 remembered to wear a mask.”

The asteroid is classed as a PHO (potentially hazardous object) because it is bigger than 140 metres and will come within five million miles of Earth’s orbit, but no known PHO poses an immediate danger to the planet.

Nevertheless, scientists continue to keep an eye on the asteroid to see how it will move beyond 2020.

The space rock will pass the earth later this week
@NAICobservatory

“The radar measurements allow us to know more precisely where the asteroid will be in the future, including its future close approaches to Earth,” Flaviane Venditti, a research scientist at the observatory, added.

“In 2079, asteroid 1998 OR2 will pass Earth about 3.5 times closer than it will this year, so it is important to know its orbit precisely.”

The team started observations on April 13 and will stop when the mound is no longer visible from the observatory.

“Although this asteroid is not projected to impact Earth, it is important to understand the characteristics of these types of objects to improve impact-risk mitigation technologies,” Dr Virkki said.

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