This has been generating considerable buzz amongst "minor planet" astronomers over the last few days. It is bright enough to be seen by a good amateur telescope setup but much too dim for binoculars or naked eye (mag 19.4).

The position & projected path should be nailed down pretty quick, days to a couple of weeks. Everything else - size, rotation, mass - will be tricky. Some amateurs are working very hard on the rotation problem but no reliable results yet, and radar time isn't scheduled until late January.

My favorite quote from an astronomer at the Space Science Institute, trying to keep the chance of impact issues in perspective:

Quote:

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My projected age in 2029 is 85, so this is only a minor perturbation in my chance of death by then. So I view all this with, you could say, detached interest.

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