Newly Found Asteroid To Pass Close To Earth On Sunday

[Spartan]

 

This graphic shows the path Asteroid 2014 RC will take as it passes Earth on Sunday, September 7. The space rock will come within one-tenth the distance from Earth to the moon, but it is not expected to threaten the planet.

[Spartan]

The space rock is estimated to be 60 feet (18 meters) long. It's expected to fly over New Zealand about 2:18 p.m. EDT (11:18 a.m. PDT / 18:18 UTC.)

It won't hit Earth or any of the thousands of satellites orbiting the planet, NASA says. It will give astronomers and scientists a chance to study it.

The asteroid won't be visible the naked eye, but amateur astronomers should be able to see it with telescopes.

Called 2014 RC, the asteroid was discovered on August 31 by the Catalina Sky Survey near Tucson, Arizona.

[nahor1010]

Gp