... 4.09.1999 . ... Crossing the edge of Earth's shadow the moon was only partially eclipsed - but the spectacle could be seen by observers located across the Earth's night side. ... Nearly four kilometers across, the huge rock known as 1999 JM8 silently passed only 8.5 million kilometers from the Earth in early August. ... The two stars at the center of this nebula are very different. ... This suggestively shaped reflection nebula is associated with the bright star Rigel in the constellation Orion. ...