Asteroid 2004 BL86 is set to safely pass Earth at a distance of 1.2 million kilometres on the 26 January.
The asteroid is estimated to be around 500 metres in size. The flyby of 2004 BL86 will be the closest by any known asteroid this large until 2027, when 1999 AN10 will fly past our planet.
"Monday, January 26 will be the closest asteroid 2004 BL86 will get to Earth for at least the next 200 years," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "And while it poses no threat to Earth for the foreseeable future, it's a relatively close approach by a relatively large asteroid, so it provides us a unique opportunity to observe and learn more."
Indeed, NASA plan to observe the asteroid using microwaves and develop radar-generated images.
"When we get our radar data back the day after the flyby, we will have the first detailed images," said radar astronomer Lance Benner of JPL. "At present, we know almost nothing about the asteroid, so there are bound to be surprises."
The good news for amateur astronomers is that this asteroid will be observable using strong binoculars or a telescope.
The asteroid is estimated to be around 500 metres in size. The flyby of 2004 BL86 will be the closest by any known asteroid this large until 2027, when 1999 AN10 will fly past our planet.
"Monday, January 26 will be the closest asteroid 2004 BL86 will get to Earth for at least the next 200 years," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "And while it poses no threat to Earth for the foreseeable future, it's a relatively close approach by a relatively large asteroid, so it provides us a unique opportunity to observe and learn more."
Indeed, NASA plan to observe the asteroid using microwaves and develop radar-generated images.
"When we get our radar data back the day after the flyby, we will have the first detailed images," said radar astronomer Lance Benner of JPL. "At present, we know almost nothing about the asteroid, so there are bound to be surprises."
The good news for amateur astronomers is that this asteroid will be observable using strong binoculars or a telescope.