This Sunday, September 7, a pesky little asteroid will pass within 40,000 Km. of Earth – essentially within the ring of orbiting Earth satellites. An estimated 20 meters across, and miraculously not expected to collide with said satellites – freshly christened 2014 RC, reveled her intentions to astronomers August 31. A polite gesture, certainly one to remind us cosmic surprises are far from occasional.
Now that 2014 RC has introduced itself, astronomers will be able to track an orbit – gravitational pull is unavoidable, 2014 RC will be back. Twenty meters might not sound like much – don’t be so sure. At the right angle and speed, a space rock this size could make for a very bad day.
