Asteroid to Make Rare Close Flyby of Earth

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The illustration from an amateur astronomer shows the asteroidacutes track on the sky for 3 days near the time of the close Earth approach as seen from the city of Philadelphia. Image courtesy: Dr. Dale Ireland Silverdale WA.
The illustration from an amateur astronomer shows the asteroid's track on the sky for 3 days near the time of the close Earth approach as seen from the city of Philadelphia. Image courtesy: Dr. Dale Ireland, Silverdale, WA.

Scientists are monitoring the orbit of asteroid 2007 TU24. The asteroid, believed to be between 150 meters (500 feet) and 610 meters (2,000 feet) in size, is expected to fly past Earth on Jan. 29, with its closest distance being about 537,500 kilometers (334,000 miles) at 12:33 a.m. Pacific time (3:33 a.m. Eastern time). It should be observable that night by amateur astronomers with modest-sized telescopes.


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