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Shot Across the Bow: Massive Asteroid Hurtling Towards Earth

05/05/2011 3 comments

“A massive asteroid will fly within the moon’s orbit narrowly missing Earth later this year.

The space rock, called YU55, will hurtle past our planet at a distance of just 201,700 miles during its closest approach on November 8.

That is closer to Earth than the moon, which orbits 238,857miles away on average.

With a width of some 400metres and weighing 55million tons, YU55 will be the largest object to ever approach Earth so close.

Nasa spokesman Don Yeomans said: ‘On November 8, asteroid YU55 will fly past Earth and at its closest approach point will be about 325,000kms away.

‘This asteroid is about 400 metres wide – the largest space rock we have identified that will come this close until 2028.'”  Read more.

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