April 11, 2020
It is April 2020 and there is a huge asteroid headed this way. According to Astronomers, a very big space rock designated Asteroid 52768 1998 OR2, will pass us safely, at around 4 million miles. That’s about 16 times the distance between the Earth and the moon.
It will be the biggest asteroid due to fly by this year. It will come closest to the Earth on April 29th, around 5:56 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Amateur astronomers with small telescopes will be able to see a slow-moving star-like object in the sky.
If you don’t have access to a telescope, then check out the Virtual Telescope Project who will host a free, online public viewing of Asteroid 52768 1998 OR2 starting on April 28, 2020.
Here’s a link to the Virtual Telescope Project: https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/2020/03/06/potentially-hazardous-asteroid-52768-1998-or2-close-encounter-online-observations-28-apr-2020/
Check out this article from EarthSky: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/asteroid-52768-1998-or2-april-2020-how-to-see?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=528a4eee16-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-528a4eee16-394124165#tips
Rod is a blogger, writer, filmmaker, photographer, daydreamer who likes to cook. Rod produces and directs the web series, CUPIC: Diary of an Investigator. He is also the editor, producer and administrator of STM Daily News, a part of the TNC Network.
