The asteroid more than 4km is about to cross the Earth

The asteroid named Florence on September 1 will fly 7 million kilometers from Earth, 18 times the distance between Earth and Moon, according to New Atlas.

A giant asteroid with an estimated 4.3 km in diameter will fly over Earth at the closest distance on September 1.

The asteroid named Florence on September 1 will fly 7 million kilometers from Earth, 18 times the distance between Earth and Moon, according to New Atlas. The US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) says this is the closest distance to Earth that such a large asteroid has ever reached. Scientists will have a rare chance to delve into Florence through observation of ground-based radar.

Picture 1 of The asteroid more than 4km is about to cross the Earth

Florence is the largest asteroid flying through our planet.

"Although many asteroids have ever flown over Earth at a distance closer to Florence, all of them are smaller in size," said Paul Chodas, who manages the Center for Near-Earth Objects Research (CNEOS) in the Room. NASA's jet propulsion experiment, said. " Florence is the largest asteroid flying through our planet at such a close distance since NASA started the asteroid detection and tracking program near Earth."

Florence was first discovered in 1981 and the event of flying through early September was the asteroid's most close-to-Earth flight since 1890. It will not get near that Earth before 2500.

According to NASA, astronomers can observe Florence through a small telescope in late August and early September, when its brightness increases. During that time, asteroids will fly through the constellations of Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius and Delphinus.


Flight route of Florence asteroid.(Video: NASA).

NASA scientists will use ground-based radar to observe Florence's features, including the California Goldstone Solar Radar and the Arecibo Observatory of the National Science Association in Puerto Rico.

Thanks to these devices, they were able to determine the exact size of the asteroid, even seeing the details on the surface at least 10 meters wide by Florence.

Update 17 December 2018
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