A radar image of 2005 YU55 back in 2010 taken by the Arecibo Radar Telescope in Puerto Rico. Image credit: NASA/Cornell/Arecibo

2005 YU55 a 1,300-foot-wide (400 meters) asteroid is set to make a close pass by Earth. The November 8th pass will be no closer than 201,700 miles (324,600 km) will be as close as any of this size since 1976 and we didn’t even know about that one. The next time one will get as close will be in 2028.

Many agencies will no doubt be tracking 2005 YU55 including NASA scientists who will be using the Deep Space Network at Goldstone California and radar observations will done by the Arecibo Planetary Radar Facility in Puerto Rico.

If you have a telescope with an aperture of six inches or more it is possible you could get a glimpse of the asteroid too. Maybe. The asteroid has a surface darker than charcoal. I will be looking if clouds don’t get in the way.

 Read the press release here for much more detail.