In the vast expanse of space, a small asteroid recently flew perilously close to Earth, its trajectory a reminder of the universe's unpredictability. According to BBC Newsround, the asteroid, though small, passed at a distance of approximately 428 kilometres (266 miles) from the planet's surface, a mere stone's throw in celestial terms, and remarkably similar in altitude to the orbiting International Space Station. The asteroid's journey began to unfold on October 1, when astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona, first spotted it.
Initially, it didn't garner much attention, but as its path became clearer, the European Space Agency's (ESA) Planetary Defence Office sprang into action. Utilising advanced technology, they tracked the asteroid, undertaking the impressive feat of locating a metre-scale object in the vast darkness of space, where its position was still uncertain.
The ESA's pursuit of this space rock continued as astronomers employed the Las Cumbres Observatory telescope in Siding Spring, Australia, to further ascertain its size and trajectory. This meticulous monitoring was crucial, given that asteroids frequently pass by Earth, often going unnoticed until they are mere hours away.
When the space chunk flew over Antarctica it was believed to be 428 kilometres (266 miles) from Earth's surface - a similar altitude to the ...Other related sources and context: Check here
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