Lost in all the coronavirus hub-bub last week was this concerning news item:
A large asteroid ignored social distancing norms over the weekend
Public health officials advise keeping 6 feet (2 meters) of distance from others during the coronavirus pandemic to avoid potential risks. Astronomers also have a standard distance at which an asteroid is considered "potentially hazardous," and on Sunday a space rock as wide as a football field whipped by us 50 times closer than that threshold.
We obviously have enough to worry about right now, so you can breathe easier knowing that despite coming very close by space standards, there was never any threat the asteroid known simply as 2020 FL2 was going to hit Earth. It passed by Sunday at a distance of 90,000 miles (145,000 kilometers).
YIKES, huh??!!??!!!!
Considering the moon is like 240,000 miles from Earth, this gridiron-size space rock was very, very close.
This is why astronomers are astronomers....... to know about this stuff....... and to watch this stuff....... and to not give us another panic reason to buy toilet paper.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt