ScienceEarthSkyMountain-sized asteroid 1999 AN10 to pass close to Earth in 2027
A mountain-sized asteroid will pass Earth in August 2027 at roughly the same distance as the moon, but NASA says there is zero chance of it hitting us.
Asteroid 1999 AN10, which might be a mile wide, will pass Earth on August 7, 2027, about 1 lunar distance away. The encounter poses no danger.
Asteroid 1999 AN10, estimated at up to 1.8 kilometres wide, is confirmed to pass Earth on August 7, 2027, at roughly the distance of the moon.
NASA labels it potentially hazardous because of its size and orbit, but its 2027 flyby carries a zero chance of impact, passing about 389,855 kilometres from Earth.
The asteroid will be large enough and close enough to spot with ordinary binoculars from the Americas as it glides through the night sky.
The asteroid will be visible with binoculars, peaking around magnitude 7.3 as it passes through Taurus, Aries, Pisces and Pegasus on the night of August 7, 2027.
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