Don’t Miss Your Chance to See an Asteroid Zoom Past Idaho

A massive asteroid will whiz by the earth next week, they're calling it "potentially hazardous."  So where is the best Treasure Valley spot to watch this madness?  Here are some ideas.

If an asteroid is 1 kilometer wide and it hits something, that would be bad.  But in the same breath with "potentially hazardous," astronomers also say it's going to stay on a path that is a million miles away from earth.  So we're feeling pretty safe and there's no need to get all Y2K on our friends and family or anything.

It will be just close enough for good viewing, and just far away enough to not bother us too much.

Space.com says small asteroids pass close by Earth several times each week, but the event next will be "the closest by any known asteroid of this size."  The asteroid is trucking toward earth now, and scientists expect it to breeze by us on Wednesday, April 19th.  The next close one won't happen until 2027.

Is there a Boise spot that you always move toward anytime one of these space things happens?  The back yard might work, but sometimes it's fun to pack some snacks and venture out with the astronomy enthusiasts and really get after it.

In the past, Boise astronomy buffs have had telescopes set up on the Quad north of the Administration Building at Boise State.  That seems to be a prime spot for night sky viewing,

And the Boise Astronomical Society has been doing some sky watching at various points around the Treasure Valley, including  Bruneau Dune Park in the Eagle Cove.

What other spots are great for viewing space?  NASA says telescopes will be set up all over the world trying to catch the best glimpse of Asteroid 2014 JO25 next week.  Not the sexiest name, but then science isn't usually worried about being sexy.

We'll watch for your pics on social media on the 19th.  What a unique little gift from space ahead of Earth Day on April 22!  Surely the earth will be just fine.