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Large asteroid to be studied in Earth pass

This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was generated from data taken in April 2010 by the Arecibo Radar Telescope in Puerto Rico. Credit: NASA/Cornell/Arecibo
This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was generated from data taken in April 2010 by the Arecibo Radar Telescope in Puerto Rico. Credit: NASA/Cornell/Arecibo

GREENBELT, Md., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- A giant asteroid that could threaten Earth in the distant future will pass close enough for Earth observatories to study and measure it, astronomers say.

At its closest approach Nov. 8, asteroid 2005 YU55 will pass within 201,700 miles of Earth, inside the orbit of the moon, SPACE.com reported Thursday.

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Scientists will track the asteroid with antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network at Goldstone, Calif., the space agency said.

Although the asteroid's orbit regularly brings it into the vicinity of Earth, the November encounter is the closest it has come for at least the last 200 years, astronomers said.

The last time an asteroid this big came as close to Earth was in 1976, although astronomers were unaware of the flyby at the time.

The next known approach of an asteroid this large will be in 2028, NASA said.

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