The 365 Days of Astronomy

UNAWE Space Scoop - The Usain Bolt of Asteroids

09.09.2021 - By 365DaysOfAstronomy.orgPlay

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https://spacescoop.org/en/scoops/2116/the-usain-bolt-of-asteroids/ On August 13, 2021, astronomers made an amazing discovery. They found an asteroid that is closer to our Sun than any other space rock.  Its closest approach to the Sun is 20 million kilometers or 12 million miles. That’s 0.13 au or 13% of the average distance from Earth to the Sun. That’s close enough that the surface temperature of this rock is about 500° Celsius or 900° Fahrenheit! Toasty! Hot enough to melt lead! It’s now called 2021 PH27.   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://astrogear.spreadshirt.com/ for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by Astrosphere New Media. http://www.astrosphere.org/ Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at [email protected]. —Written & Record

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