A unique phenomenon! This huge asteroid came as close to Earth. At risk are we?

Those who often promise to do something only "if they fall on the head of a meteorite," must be careful with words. After the evening January 26 inhabitants of the planet were able to observe a unique phenomenon: the asteroid 2004 BL86 was as close to Earth's surface.

The space object with a diameter of about 500 meters and a mass of 157 million tonnes close to our planet at a distance of 1, 2 million kilometers, which is about 3 distance from the Earth to the Moon by space standards nothing. The most surprising: at a distance to the planet is a large celestial body does not fit the last 200 years!



Such a close pass of asteroid near the Earth has allowed scientists to study the surface and learn a lot. During closest approach to Earth asteroid 2004 BL86 was bright enough. Of course, not enough to see with the naked eye. But those who have found home amateur telescopes or binoculars powerful, able to fully enjoy this unique spectacle. In addition, one of the world's largest online telescopes «Slooh» conducted online broadcast of the asteroid.

What is most surprising, according to the special space antenna installed in Goldstone (California), the asteroid had ... his little moon! It was possible to establish when the celestial body was at a distance of 800,000 miles from Earth.

As noted by officers NASA, an asteroid does not pose a threat to our planet. For reference: this cosmic body was discovered January 30, 2004 the search system of small celestial bodies LINEAR (Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research). Researchers have carried him to the Apollo group, to which, among other things, concerns the sensational meteorite, which fell in February 2013 into the lake Chebarkul of the Chelyabinsk region.

Do not forget to watch so incredible phenomenon: the chance falls so rarely! Scientists predict that the next time such a large space body scale will be as close to Earth as much ... in 2027. Share the news with your friends - suddenly they too have missed such a unique show!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y7CYf4X3Lo