Radar Movie of Asteroid 2011 UW158

Scientists using two giant, Earth-based radio telescopes bounced radar signals off passing asteroid 2011 UW158 to create the “images“ in this animation showing the rocky body’s fast rotation. The asteroid measures 2000 by 1000 feet (600 by 300 meters) across. The passing asteroid made its closest approach to Earth on July 19, 2015 at 7:37 a.m. PST (4:37 a.m. EST) at a distance of about 1.5 million miles (2.4 million kilometers, or 6 times the distance from Earth to the moon). The close proximity during the