It’s not a plane. It’s not a bird. It’s not Superman or a giant thumbprint. It’s a NASA photograph of one of the larger asteroids to pass this close to the Earth in some time.
The asteroid is known as YU55, and it’s headed this way, passing closer to Earth than it has been in 200 years. NASA scientists expect it to pass safely by today, although it will come closer to us than the moon ever does.
The size of an aircraft carrier, YU55 is expected to come as close as 201,700 miles away at 3:28 p.m. You won’t be able to see it with the naked eye, but it will be visible by telescope.
According to a NASA statement, “The last time a space rock this large came as close to Earth was in 1976, although astronomers did not know about the fly-by at the time. The next known approach of an asteroid this size will be in 2028.”
