Newly-discovered asteroid 2011 AN52 is flying past Earth today just inside the orbit of the Moon (0.8 LD). The space rock is only 8 meters wide, about the size of a small room, so even experienced amateur astronomers will have trouble photographing it as it zips through the northern constellations Draco and Cygnus glowing like an 18th magnitude star.
Check out the 3D orbit, ephemeris.
Jan 17
ASTEROID FLYBY
Clear Sky Clock
Hemlock Crossing Public Observatory
