Asteroid 2023 BU: Space rock to pass closer than some satellites

You definitely shouldn't panic but there is a biggish asteroid about to pass by Earth in the coming hours.

About the size of a minibus, the space rock, known as 2023 BU, will whip over the southern tip of South America just after midnight GMT.

With a closest expected approach of 3,600km (2,200 miles), it counts as a close shave.

And it illustrates how there are still asteroids of significant size lurking near Earth that remain to be detected.

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Even if 2023 BU was on a direct collision course, it would struggle to do much damage.

With an estimated size of 3.5m to 8.5m across (11.5ft to 28ft), the rock would likely disintegrate high in the atmosphere. It would though produce a spectacular fireball.

For comparison, the famous Chelyabinsk meteor that entered Earth's atmosphere over southern Russia in 2013 was an object near 20m (66ft) across. It produced a shockwave that shattered windows on the ground.

Scientists at the US space agency Nasa say 2023 BU's orbit around the Sun will be modified by its encounter with Earth.

Link - https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64411469
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Ok, now I am in the mood to watch the movie Armageddon lol. With clear skies, some may be able to see this as it passes Earth.