An asteroid that is about 1 mile long and to me, looks like a potato was observed using radar earlier this month. The name of the rock is Asteroid 2003 SD220 and it flew past Earth on Dec 22nd at a distance of 1.8 million miles. That may seem like it was really far away but it’s the closest this asteroid has come to Earth in 400 years. But don’t worry, if you missed it this time around it will be back in 2070, mark your calendars.

The detailed radar images revealed a 330-foot ridge around one end of the asteroid, numerous bright spots, and some possible craters. Scientists were also able to confirm the asteroid’s slow 12-day non-principle rotation, density, and composition. In addition, they updated information about its orbit and its future as a near-Earth object.

The Lucy Mission

Launching in 2021 the Lucy Mission will explore a group of asteroids known as the Trojans up close. It will take 12 years for Lucy to complete its mission of six asteroid flybys and in that time it will have to deal with many gravitational forces that will make things difficult. The mission is currently in the navigational planning stage where a team of people under Flight Dynamics Team Leader Kevin Berry, are creating an elegant path for the craft to follow.

The Trojan asteroids are said to be nearly as old as the Sun and are located in Jupiter’s Lagrangian points. Studying them could give us a better understanding of the formation of the planets and help scientists to look into the past at the early moments of the solar system.

Source: Forbes