Asteroid 2004 BL86

On January 26, 2015, Asteroid 2004 BL86 performed a close flyby of Earth. This radar image of it was captured during the asteroid’s closest approach, at a distance of about 1.2 million kilometers (745,000 miles).

The asteroid is about 325 meters (1,100 feet) across and is orbited by a small moon (arrow). To date, the flyby was the closest performed by a known asteroid of this size. While it was close enough for Earth-based study, it wasn’t close enough to be considered a threat.

The radar image was created using data collected by NASA’s Deep Space Network in Goldstone, California.