Close flyby of asteroid 2012 BX34
Newly-discovered asteroid 2012 BX34 will fly past Earth on Jan. 27th only 77,000 km (0.2 lunar distances) away. There is no danger of a collision with the 14-meter wide space rock. Advanced amateur astronomers might be able to observe the flyby as the asteroid brightens to 14th magnitude just before closest approach on Friday at 15:30 UTC.
Named 2012 BX34, this 14 meter space rock will skim Earth less than 60,000 km (37,000 miles, .0004 AU), at around 15:30 UTC, (10:30 am EST) according to the Minor Planet Center. The latest estimates have this small bus-sized asteroid it traveling at about about 8,900 meters/second (about 20,000 miles per hour). 2012 BX34 has been observed by the Catalina Sky Survey and the Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona, and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico, so its orbit is well defined and there is no risk of impact to Earth.
Video and image of asteroid 2012 BX34’s orbit
Featured image credit: OnOrbit
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large rock hits dark side of the moon- red dust halo around the moon- earths tilt alters polar alighment- mean sea level increases by 3 feet- my advice –youll drown in those bunkers!
Simon, with all due respect, I think you may have a bit too much time on your hands. (Just an observation)
Kat, look to the dark part and squint a little
[…] asteroid is making a near miss of Earth on Friday, making its closet approach around 10:30 EST. Asteroid 2012 BX34 is small, as asteroids go – about 36 feet across. And, although it’s missing the […]
The Estimated Magnitude Of Asteroid 2012 BX34 Is Going To Be Approximately 14 Which Indicates That You Need A Telescope Of Large Aperture And Dark Skies In Order To Observe It.
h, Asteroid 2012 BX34,
In recorded times you’ve never visited us before.
In space you glide toward us silently,
like a spectre of doom looming over the Earth.
Will you hit satellites, or just glide by?
will we see you in the night’s sky?
Some don’t know and most don’t care
but on the internet news, your presence we do share.
So 2012 BX34 welcome here,
for our lovely Earth we will have no fear.
40,000 miles away you will pass,
And tonight to you I will raise my glass!
I was wondering in what part of the sky I should look to get a glimps of it flying by. I’m in Rochester MN. Thank you for any help…Kat