Sunday, June 26, 2011

ASTEROID FLYBY


Newly-discovered asteroid 2011 MD will pass only 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) above Earth's surface on Monday June 27 at about 1:00 p.m. EDT (1700 UT). NASA analysts say there is no chance the space rock will strike Earth. Nevertheless, the encounter is so close that Earth's gravity will sharply alter the asteroid's trajectory.
From Space Weather