Come Jan 27, an asteroid measuring half a kilometre in diameter is expected to pass near Earth in a phenomenon that happens once every 200 years.
National Space Agency (Angkasa) said Asteroid 2004 BL86 will get as close as 1.2 million kilometres from Earth (that’s roughly three times the distance of the moon from our planet), Bernama reports. The asteroid can be seen with a telescope or high-powered binoculars.
““Researchers worldwide predict that after the appearance of Asteroid 2004 BL86 this year, no other known asteroid will be close to Earth until 2027. The public need not worry as it will not cause any harm to Earth,” Angkasa reportedly said in a statement.
Those keen on observing can head out to the Langkawi National Observatory (ONL) and Angkasa itself on Jan 27.
If you have a telescope, here’s what you have to do to get the best chance of seeing it: refer to the Cancer constellation and make sure you’re in a large space with good weather conditions and as far away from pollution as possible.
