(PCM) A massive and somewhat highly visible asteroid is on a path to fly by the planet Earth on Monday evening, however there is no cause for concern. According to NASA asteroid 2004 BL86 will be able to safely pass Earth and is located about 745,000 miles away which three time the distance from Earth to the moon.
The asteroid will be the the closest known asteroid to its’ size to pass the Earth until the year of 2027. The size of asteroid 2004 BL86 is about twice the size of a football stadium and scientists are excited for its’ close proximity to Earth as a way to both observe it’s behavior and learn more about these mysterious objects.
You should be able to view the asteroid through small telescopes and strong binoculars. It will be at it’s brightest and easiest to spot between 11:07pm and 11:52pm (ET) on Monday night. For those that do not have access to a telescope or binoculars, you can watch the asteroid live on the web by clicking here!
