The scientists: This is a once-in-a-half-century opportunity
Scientists will learn a lot about neighboring space rocks
A close encounter with a small asteroid later in August 2002 may be interesting. The asteroid may be visible through binoculars or small telescopes, experts say. The 800-meter-long space rock known as 2002 NY40 will reach its closest point to Earth on August 18.
The opportunity for amateur observers is rare because an asteroid comes this close only once in half a century. The closest point it will reach will be 530 thousand kilometers - only slightly more than the distance of the moon from us.
Its course in the sky will bring it near the bright star Vega, and throughout the entire Hercules star system. It will be quite dim, dimmer than the faintest visible star. In Europe and the Middle East it will be possible to see it well in the early hours of August 18. in North America a few hours earlier on the evening of August 17th.
The scientists will be able to precisely track the trajectory of the asteroid for the next few years. According to them there is a chance, although not a great one - 1 in half a million that this asteroid will hit the Earth on its way in 2022, but new measurements may prove unequivocally that it will miss us again.
As a reminder, about a month ago a similar asteroid, NT7, was located, which the scientists estimate will come very close and for a certain time they even believed that it would collide with the Earth in February 2019. Further tests showed that this danger, at least, does not exist.
