A newly discovered car size asteroid has just made the closest known flyby to Earth without touching our planet.
On Sunday (August 16), the asteroid, first marked ZTF0DxQ and now formally known by astronomers as 2020 QG, was swooped by Earth at only 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers) away. That gives 2020 QG the title of closest asteroid flyby ever recorded, which did not end with the death of space rock.
It is the closest known, non-impacting asteroid, NASA officials told Space.com
Video: See the orbit of 2020 QG around the sun!
Related: Potentially dangerous asteroids (images)
The flyby was not expected and took many surprises. In fact, the Palomar Observatory discovered the zooming asteroid up to about six hours after the closest approach to the object. “The asteroid approaches undetected from the direction of the sun,” said Paul Chodas, director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies. told Business Insider. “We did not see it coming.”
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“The close approach of yesterday is [the] closest to record, “told Chodas Business Insider.” If you shorten a few known asteroids that actually affected our planet. “
The close flyby was also a fast one, as 2020 QG swept Earth at a blowing 27,600 mph (44,400 km / h). The object is about the size of a compact car, maybe about 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) in diameter.
According to the International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Center, 2020 QG flew over the Pacific Ocean, far east of Australia, during its close approach. To explore the asteroid for yourself, you can check out NASA’s small database browser’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory over here.
Email Chelsea Gohd at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
