Huge asteroid to “narrowly” miss Earth

Asteroid 2004 BL86, estimated to be half a kilometre wide, will pass within 1.2 million km of Earth on January 26/27 – the closest it will get for the next 200 years and the nearest flyby of a space rock until 2027
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WHERE TO SEE IT Observers in Europe,Americas and Africa will need small telescope or strong binoculars. Less visible in Asia

Path of 2004 BL86

10h UT 8h 6h 4h 2h

Jan 27 0h 22h Jan 26 20h

Head of HYDRA

Beehive Cluster CANCER M44
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CLOSE ENCOUNTER (planets not to scale)

Earth orbit

Mercury

Asteroid 2004 BL86

Artist’s view of asteroid passing Earth (not 2004 BL86)

Mars

Venus

Earth

Asteroid orbit(orbital period 1.84 years)

0.5km-wide asteroid and Empire State Building to scale 
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DISTANCE FROM EARTH

Asteroid 2004 BL86 1.2 million km on Jan 26/27

Moon 384,400km (average)

Earth

Asteroid 1999 AN10 Could pass within 37,000km in 2027

Size of Earth, Moon and asteroids increased for clarity
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Sources: NASA, Sky & Telescope Media

Picture: ESA / P. Carril

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