Newly discovered asteroid 2017 QB35 to flyby Earth at 0.93 LD on September 3
A newly discovered asteroid designated 2017 QB35 will flyby Earth at 0.93 LD (~357 120 km / 221 904 miles) on September 3, 2017. This is the 28th known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since the start of the year (according to data available September 20, 2017).
First observed at Mt. Lemmon Survey on August 31, 2017, asteroid 2017 QB35 belongs to the Aten group of asteroids. Its estimated diameter is between 3.7 and 8.3 m (12 – 27 feet). It will make the closest approach to our planet at 08:41 UTC on September 3, 2017, at a speed (relative to the Earth) of 18.02 km/s.
[ Ephemeris | Orbit Diagram | Orbital Elements | Physical Parameters | Close-Approach Data ]
The discovery of asteroid 2017 QB3 came on the same day as a huge, Amor-class asteroid named 3122 Florence (1981 ET3) flew past Earth at 18.38 LD (~7 million km / 4.4 million miles / 0.047 AU). Florence is the largest asteroid to pass this close to our planet since the first near-Earth asteroid was discovered over a century ago. Its diameter is between 4 and 9 km (2.5 and 5.6 miles).
References:
Asteroid 2017 QB35 at Minor Planet Center; at CNEOS
Featured image: The green line indicates the object's apparent motion relative to the Earth, and the bright green marks are the object's location at approximately one-hour intervals. The Moon's orbit is gray. The blue arrow points in the direction of Earth's motion and the yellow arrow points toward the Sun. Credit: Minor Planet Center
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