News Halloween asteroid expected to fly by Earth in closest encounter since 2006 A highly realistic portrayal of the Halloween asteroid. Photo Credit: iStock By CRISTIAN SALAZAR cristian.salazar@amny.com October 20, 2015 2:48 PM Print Share fbShare Tweet gShare Email Get ready for a new kind of scare this Halloween: A large asteroid will speed by the Earth on Oct. 31, 2015, in the closest flyby since 2006. NASA reported that the asteroid will come within 1.3 lunar distances — about 310,000 miles — from Earth around 9:14 a.m. The space agency discovered the asteroid on Oct. 10. The asteroid is about 918 to 2,034 feet in diameter. “The flyby presents a truly outstanding scientific opportunity to study the physical properties of this object,” NASA gleefully stated in its official report. This will also be the closest an asteroid will fly near Earth until a large object known as 1999 AN10 approaches in 2027. By CRISTIAN SALAZAR cristian.salazar@amny.com Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comments Comments section is temporarily on hold. Here’s why.
