A newly discovered small asteroid designated 2009 VA, which is only about 23 feet in size, passed about 2 Earth radii (8,700 miles) from the Earth's surface Nov. 6 at around 4:30 PM EST. This is the third-closest known (non-impacting) Earth approach on record for a cataloged asteroid, according to NASA JPL NEO office. On average, objects the size of 2009 VA pass this close about twice per year and impact Earth about once every 5 years.
Unique about this event was that it was discovered by astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey only 15 hours before the closest appraoch to Earth at 8,700 miles as it came well inside the "Clarke Belt" of geo-stationary satellites above the Earth. Asteroid 2009 VA's orbit brought it 30 times nearer than the Moon, which is a mere 250,000 miles away.
Astronomers tell us that the asteroid was the perfect size to create an amazing show if it had entered the earth's atmosphere but would have most probably burned to fragments upon entry to Earth's atmosphere.
By 2020, NASA aims to have detected most large asteroids and comets that approach the Earth. NASA Masrhall has developed a design for a spacecraft to seek to intercept threatening asteroids. It is not yet built.
No comments:
Post a Comment