By Alec Fernandes
Scientists will be eagerly observing an asteroid as it makes its nearest approach on December 4. This Near-Earth Object (NEO), known as 2020 XR, is wider than the Empire State Building and will come within 1.4 million miles of our planet.
NASA classifies any NEO that's larger than 500 feet and within 4.65 million miles as "potentially hazardous". Despite this ominous label, astrophysicists aren't seriously worried about a possible impact. A much closer encounter with the asteroid Apophis will occur on April 13, 2029, at a distance of just 19,635 miles.
These close flybys give researchers a prime opportunity to observe the composition and trajectories of NEOs. Starting at 1:30pm Eastern Time on December 3, The Virtual Telescope Project will stream 2020 XR's pass on the group's YouTube channel.