Minimum Separation of Asteroid 1999 KW4 and Earth

The unique capabilities of the SPHERE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope have enabled it to obtain the sharpest images of a double asteroid as it flew by Earth on 25 May. While this double asteroid was not itself a threatening object, scientists used the opportunity to rehearse the response to a hazardous Near-Earth Object (NEO), proving that ESO’s front-line technology could be critical in planetary defence.

This infographic shows the minimum distance between the asteroid 1999 KW4 an Earth — the closest the asteroid comes to our planet during its fly-by.