A massive "planet killer" asteroid, named 2011 UL21, will make a close approach to Earth on June 27th, traveling at 58,000 mph. This mountain-sized asteroid, 1.1 to 2.4 miles in diameter, is one of the largest to come this close in over a century. It will pass at a safe distance of 4.1 million miles, about 17 times farther than the moon. Classified as "potentially hazardous," it could cause continental-scale damage and significant climatic changes if it ever collided with Earth.
The closest approach will be livestreamed by the Virtual Telescope Project from Italy, starting at 4 p.m. ET on June 27.
The asteroid will be brightest on June 28 and 29, visible from the Northern Hemisphere with suitable telescopes. It will not come this close again until 2089 when it will pass within 1.7 million miles of Earth. Though 2011 UL21 poses no threat now, close encounters with smaller asteroids are expected in the future, such as Apophis in 2029.
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