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House-sized asteroid to buzz Earth on Sunday 房子大小的小行星週日將逼近掠過地球

◎魏國金

A recently discovered asteroid about the size of a house will make a relatively close pass by Earth on Sunday, flying just past the communication satellites that circle the planet, scientists said.

最近發現的一顆約房子大小的小行星，週日將相當近距離地行經地球，恰恰飛掠過繞行地球的通訊衛星，科學家指出。

NASA said the asteroid, known as 2014 RC, poses no threat, though at its closest approach it will be only about one-tenth the distance to the moon, or roughly 40,000 km from Earth. Communications and weather satellites are generally located in orbits about 36,000 km above the planet.

美國航空暨太空總署（NASA）指出，名為2014 RC的小行星不會構成威脅，雖然其最迫近時僅約地球與月球間10分之1的距離，或距離地球約4萬公里。通訊與氣象衛星通常位於地球上方3萬6000公里的軌道。

"While this celestial object does not appear to pose any threat to Earth or satellites, its close approach creates a unique opportunity for researchers to observe and learn more about asteroids," NASA said.

「這個天體顯然不會對地球或衛星造成任何威脅，它的臨近為研究人員製造了觀察並進一步瞭解小行星的獨特機會。」NASA說。