Scientists using the National Radio Observatory's Green Bank Telescope assisted their Planetary Radar Group counterparts at the National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico to observe Near Earth Asteroid 2015 TB145 on Friday as it approached the Earth at 35 kilometers per second.
The asteroid, first detected on Oct. 10, is expected to make its closest approach to Earth Saturday morning, when it should be 1.3 times as close to the planet as the Moon is. Scientists at the Arecibo Observatory determined that the asteroid was larger than expected, measuring 1,968.5 feet in diameter. It was also discovered that the asteroid rotated once every five hours.
Observations made so far indicate that the asteroid is in no danger of striking Earth during its current transition, and will not pass as close to Earth as it will on Saturday for the remainder of this century.