Scientists: Asteroid Icarus maximum approach with the Earth tonight – RIA Novosti

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© Photo: NASA / JPL

MOSCOW, June 16 – RIA Novosti. Today, at six o’clock in Moscow large asteroid 1566 Icarus fly past Earth at a very small distance in the past 75 years, become acquainted with our planet at a distance of 8,000,000 kilometers, according to the magazine Astronomy Now.

The asteroid Icarus, belonging to the so-called “Apollonian” family of small celestial bodies, it was discovered in 1949 by astronomer Walter Baade. His name he inherited from the hero of Greek mythology, the son of Daedalus, podletevshego too close to the sun, is no accident.

Before the discovery of asteroid 2000 BD19 Millennium, Icarus closest among all the asteroids approaching the Sun, crossing the orbit Mercury. In the mid 60′s of the last century, this asteroid caused concern among US military and scientists who even organized a special research project aimed at developing methods for the destruction of Icarus using rockets and atomic bombs.

Starting orbiting telescopes and improving methods calculating the orbits of asteroids dispelled these fears. Today, the role of a potential “killer” terrestrial civilization pretends not Icarus, and another asteroid – 99942 Apophis, which has a minimum, but the chances (one out of 149 thousand), fall to the Earth or the Moon in 2068.

At this time, the convergence of Icarus and the Earth will take place at a relatively safe distance from each other – the distance between the planet and the asteroid will be about 21srednih distance between the Moon and Earth, or about 8 million kilometers. The last time an asteroid flying at such a distance from our planet in 1968.

The asteroid will reach the point of closest approach at approximately 18 hours 39 minutes Moscow. According to astronomers, the asteroid will be bright enough for observers on Earth, and it can be seen in the night sky using a 30-centimeter amateur telescopes from 16 to 22 June.

On the first day of Icarus to be found in the area ” Bucket “Ursa Major, near the North Star. The coordinates of the asteroid in the next few days can be found on the website Astronomy Now and other amateur astronomical portals.