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This asteroid sweeps closer than our moon today

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February 25, 2018

Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project in Rome wrote:

On February 25, the near-Earth asteroid 2018 DU will make a very close encounter with the Earth, safely coming closer than the moon. We captured it to share it with you.

The telescope tracked the apparent motion of the asteroid. This is why stars leave long trails, while the asteroid looks like a sharp dot of light in the center of the image. At the imaging time, asteroid 2018 DU was at about 195,000 miles (315,000 km) from the Earth, closer than our moon, and it was approaching us. This ~10-meter-large asteroid will reach its minimum distance ~175,000 miles (284,000 km) from us on February 25, 2018, at 18:22 UTC [12:22 p.m. CST; translate UTC to your time].

Thank you, Gianluca!

Check out the Virtual Telescope Project

Bottom line: Asteroid 2018 DU closer than our moon on February 25.

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February 25, 2018

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Space

Deborah Byrd

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About the Author:

Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.