Largest ever asteroid yet to pass by Earth soon (video) August 19, 2017 - 16:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An asteroid named Florence is 2.7 miles (4.4 kilometers) across and will come within a celestial spitting distance of Earth on Sept. 1 when it closes to within around 4.4 million miles (7 million kilometers) of our fair planet, CNet reports. What makes Florence so interesting is the size of the asteroid combined with its visit to our neighborhood in space. NASA shared a GIF on Thursday showing the asteroid's travel route. "Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA program to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began," says NASA's Paul Chodas, manager of the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. A Near-Earth Object (NEO) is a comet or asteroid with an orbital path that brings it close to our planet. NASA plans to take advantage of the asteroid's close approach to capture radar images and learn more about Florence's surface features. The name "Florence" is a tribute to Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Astronomers first spotted the asteroid in 1981. The asteroid won't get this close to Earth again until after 2500. Amateur astronomers can also get in on the fun. The asteroid should be visible to small telescopes starting in late August. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |