This asteroid was only discovered a couple of days earlier, on January 21, 2023, by amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov. His name is likely familiar as he discovered the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov.
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On January 26, a truck-sized asteroid flew previous Earth, coming very close– within 3,600 km (2,200 miles) above the planets surface. This is well within the orbit of geosynchronous satellites and NASA says this flyby is one of the closest techniques by a near-Earth item ever taped.
The asteroid, called 2023 BUs has an approximated size of 3.5 m to 8.5 m across (11.5 ft to 28ft). Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, who leads the Virtual Telescope Project, captured images and video of the flyby and stated a huge audience participated in for the live feed. At its closest approached, it zoomed over the southern suggestion of South America at about 4:27 p.m. PST (7:27 p.m. EST.).
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NASA said that after adequate observations were gathered, the Scout effect danger assessment system was quickly able to figure out that the asteroids course would bring it near to Earth, however there was no danger of effect. Within three days, a number of observatories around the globe had actually made lots of observations, helping astronomers much better fine-tune 2023 BUs orbit.
This orbital diagram from CNEOSs close method viewer reveals 2023 BUs trajectory– in red– during its close method with Earth on Jan. 26, 2023. The asteroid will pass about 10 times closer to Earth than the orbit of geosynchronous satellites, shown in green. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.
Due to the fact that of how close it came to earth, 2023 BUs orbit has been customized by Earths gravity. NASA said that prior to coming across Earth, the asteroids orbit around the Sun was roughly circular, estimating Earths orbit, taking 359 days to finish its orbit about the Sun.
Now that astronomers understand this asteroid is out there, theyll watch on when it may have a future encounter with Earth.
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For comparison, the Chelyabinsk meteor that went into Earths environment over southern Russia in 2013 was about 20m (66ft) across. The asteroid will pass about 10 times closer to Earth than the orbit of geosynchronous satellites, shown in green. Since of how close it came to earth, 2023 BUs orbit has been modified by Earths gravity. NASA stated that prior to encountering Earth, the asteroids orbit around the Sun was roughly circular, estimating Earths orbit, taking 359 days to finish its orbit about the Sun. After the flyby, the asteroids orbit will be more elongated, moving it out to about midway between Earths and Mars orbits at its furthest point from the Sun.
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NASA said based on the size of the asteroid, if it did enter Earths environment, it likely would have broken down high in the environment, producing a spectacular fireball. A couple of meteorites might have harmlessly reached the ground.
Chelyabinsk fireball in 2013, recorded by a dashcam from Kamensk-Uralsky north of Chelyabinsk.
For comparison, the Chelyabinsk meteor that entered Earths environment over southern Russia in 2013 had to do with 20m (66ft) across. It produced a shockwave that shattered windows, triggering injuries from breaking glass. However that event signaled the world that unknown space rocks are out there.
The system in place for signaling astronomers to newly found asteroids meant that Borisov, from Crimea, sent his information to the Minor Planet Center (MPC)– the globally acknowledged clearinghouse for the position measurements of little celestial bodies– and the data was then automatically posted to the Near-Earth Object Confirmation Page.