Look up. An asteroid will pass close to Earth today

An asteroid with a diameter of about one kilometre will pass relatively close to the Earth today at a speed of over 70 000 km per hour. The phenomenon will be viewable through telescopes and on NASA's website.

The asteroid, designated (7482) 1994 PC1, was discovered by astronomer Robert McNaught while conducting observations at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia in 1994. The astronomer specialises in discovering comets and asteroids. He has discovered nearly five hundred of the latter by himself and with other astronomers.

The asteroid's approach to Earth has been monitored continuously since August 2021.

Asteroid (7482) 1994 PC1 is one of the largest to approach Earth in the coming time. It has a diameter of more than 1 km and is among the larger ones. Let us add that almost every day objects several dozen metres in diameter pass the Earth at various distances. As scientists predict, it is relatively fast and will pass our planet at a distance of almost 2 million km (about five times the distance between the Earth and the Moon). Another close encounter will be possible in about 80 years.

The asteroid will approach our planet on January 18, 2022, at 22.51 Polish time. The object will be observable through telescopes, as well as on NASA's website:

https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/asteroids/#/asteroids/7482_1994_pc1

 

Ewa Cichocka/Press Office of University of Gdańsk