TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2015 – An asteroid that is about half a kilometre wide will pass Earth on Monday evening. Asteroid 2004BL86 will fly by at a distance of about 1.2 million kilometres, or about three times the distance between Earth and the Moon. While not visible to the naked eye, it will be relatively easy to see it with small telescopes and Canadians will have a front row seat. The next time an asteroid this large flies this close to Earth, it will be 2027.

York U senior lecturer of physics and astronomy Paul Delaney and Dean of Science and professor of physics and astronomy Ray Jayawardhana are available to speak to media about how scientists will observe 2004BL86 and what they may learn.

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Media Contact: Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 ext. 22101 / wallsj@yorku.ca