Giant asteroid to fly by Earth today, here’s how you can track it

Near-Earth #asteroid 1994 PC1 (~1 km wide) is very well known and has been studied for decades by our #PlanetaryDefense experts. Rest assured, 1994 PC1 will safely fly past our planet 1.2 million miles away next Tues., Jan. 18.

Track it yourself here: https://t.co/JMAPWiirZh pic.twitter.com/35pgUb1anq

— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 12, 2022

However, most were happy to follow the journey of the asteroid  on NASA’s website. NASA also shared how the giant asteroid could be tracked.

I’d be very happy if you could give me a call in case it decides to hit the earth.

— Kamaşullah-ı şerif (@KamasullahS) January 13, 2022

When they report that something is “nearby,” I always console myself by saying, “Well, that’s calculated in light-years. Whew!”

— Audrey Jackson (@audballcaudball) January 13, 2022

pic.twitter.com/TTcRuMDn9M

— Peaceful C ⚡️ (@CAJanuszewski) January 12, 2022

Hope to see it! pic.twitter.com/SmeYVuaGyD

— Bryan Haboc (@23BLCH) January 13, 2022

I saw Don’t Look Up, and i know how this is going to end 😭😭 https://t.co/J3bY1NCohh pic.twitter.com/4iRIgrMm6W

— Alexis Miguel (@alexistmiguel) January 17, 2022

DON’T LOOK UP has certainly spiked the interest in general public regarding ‘potentially hazardous objects (asteroids and comets).

Asteroid 7482- An asteroid about 1 km in size will fly very close to Earth today. DON’T LOOK UP vibes all over it. @MovieLoversNP pic.twitter.com/EnKhJ4OlB9

— Vismrit (@vismritU) January 18, 2022

#Asteroid bigger than #BurjKhalifa fly past #Earth today😱 pic.twitter.com/rSUJmFOfTg

— Ruchi Tyagi (@ruchityagi2108) January 18, 2022

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NEWS 🚨: On Jan. 18 an asteroid twice the size of the Empire State Building will zoom by Earth safely at about 1.2 million miles (5x the moon distance)

The closest pass in two centuries pic.twitter.com/4RWcW2V3in

— Latest in space (@latestinspace) January 13, 2022

According to earthsky.org the 7482 (1994 PC1) will shine at around magnitude 10. This magnitude is less than the shine of Venus and other stars seen by our naked eyes in the sky. The website adds that a 6-inch or larger backyard telescope can help spot the asteroid, but you also need to make sure there is no light pollution.

Last year NASA launched the world’s first mission to deflect an asteroid. Named DART, it will collide with a small moonlet called Dimorphos between September 26 and October 1. It is hoped that the small nudge can change the course of the moonlet.

According to NASA, no known asteroid poses a risk of impact with Earth over the next 100 years. “The highest risk of impact for a known asteroid is a 1 in 714 chance of impact by an asteroid designated 2009 FD in 2185,” NASA’s planetary defense website adds.