Asteroid 2005 YU55 To Pass Earth Closer Than Moon - Tomorrow November 8, 2011

Asteroid 2005 YU55 To Pass Earth Closer Than Moon - Tomorrow November 8, 2011
A space rock the size of an aircraft carrier will come closer to Earth than the Moon, but experts say there is no cause for alarm.

A huge asteroid will pass closer to Earth than the moon on Tuesday (November 8), giving scientists a rare chance for study without having to go through the time and expense of launching a probe, officials said.

Earth's close encounter with Asteroid 2005 YU 55 will occur at 5:28 p.m. in St. Louis on Tuesday, as the space rock sails about 201,000 miles (323,469 km) from the planet.

The orbit and position of the asteroid, is about 1,312 feet (400 meters) in diameter, but research scientist Lance Benner, with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California says it poses no threat to the Earth.

"2005 YU 55 cannot hit earth at least not over the interval that we can compute the motion reliably which extends for several hundred years," Benner said.
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