For the fourth time yet, since the beginning of 2017, a small asteroid will be passing by Earth at a closer distance than the moon is to our planet. Scientists wondered if this is a mere coincidence, and have found that there is no correlation between the recent close-approaching asteroids.
Another asteroid, BS32, will be passing closer to Earth than the distance between us and the moon on Thursday, for the fourth time since the beginning of 2017.
Four in a Row. Coincidence?
A recently discovered asteroid, BS32, will reportedly be zipping past Earth at around 12pm PT on Thursday, just days after the last asteroid flew by us. The fact that this is the fourth asteroid this month, has prompted astronomers to wonder if this “blitz of tiny planetoids” could be more than just a coincidence.
Paul Cox, an astronomer from Slooh Observatory said in an email: “One possibility sprang to mind — that these clusters of smaller asteroids making close approaches to Earth over relatively short periods of time were in fact the fragments from larger asteroids that had broken up.”
“However, when we reviewed the orbits of each of the asteroids, we found no correlation between them — showing clearly they weren’t associated in any way.”
Since it seems the asteroid apocalypse isn’t upon us, scientists recommend that people sit back and enjoy the view of the incoming asteroid. 2017 BS32 is reportedly between 36 and 82 feet and will be at its closest point to earth at 12:@3 pm PT on Thursday.
According to Slooh, at that point, the asteroid will be around 100,214 miles overhead, which is around 60 percent closer to Earth than the moon.
The passing of BS32 will be livestreamed on the Slooh website. On the website, you can also char with some of the astronomers on site and control some of the telescopes yourself.