Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (363027) 1998 ST27 close encounter: an image – 25 Sept. 2024.
We imaged again the Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (363027) 1998 ST27, going to have a relatively close, but obviously safe encounter with the Earth next 12 Oct., coming as close as 3.6 millions of km from us.
The image above comes from the average of five, 120-second exposures, remotely taken with the “Elena” (PlaneWave 17″ + Paramount MEII + SBIG STL-6303E) robotic unit available as part of the Virtual Telescope Project. The telescope tracked the apparent motion of the asteroid, so it looks like a sharp dot of light, indicated with a white arrow, while stars leave bright streaks on the background.
At the imaging time, asteroid (363027) 1998 ST27 was at about 24 million of km from us.
This 500-meter large asteroid will reach its minimum distance (about 3.6 millions of km, 9.3 times the average lunar distance) from us on 12 Oct. 2024, at 01:52 UTC (source: Nasa/JPL). Of course, there are no risks at all for our planet.
Support The Virtual Telescope Project!
Support us! Please, donate and receive an EXCLUSIVE image of potentially hazardous asteroid 2011 UL21, taken at the time of its fly-by and much more, specifically made for supporters like you!
(you can adjust the amount later)