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Asteroid that passed Earth has its own moon

The asteroid flew by 745,000 miles away from Earth.

By Thor Benson

GOLDSTONE, Calif., Jan. 26 (UPI) -- NASA has discovered that the asteroid 2004 BL86, which just passed Earth, has its own moon.

Scientists at the Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, California, released radar images of the asteroid that show it has a natural satellite following it that is roughly 230 feet across. The asteroid is over 1,000 feet across.

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NASA says the asteroid passing by on Monday, at 745,000 miles away, is the closest it will come to Earth for the next two centuries. Scientists have known it would come near Earth for over a decade. A similar asteroid is expected to pass the planet in 2027.

"Asteroids are something special," Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said before the asteroid passed. "Not only did asteroids provide Earth with the building blocks of life and much of its water, but in the future, they will become valuable resources for mineral ores and other vital natural resources. They will also become the fueling stops for humanity as we continue to explore our solar system. There is something about asteroids that makes me want to look up."

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