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Asteroid 2016 XW20 to flyby Earth on December 13

asteroid-2016-xw20-flyby-december-13-2016

Newly discovered asteroid 2016 XW20 will flyby Earth on December 13, 2016, passing just 1.8 LD (691 200 km / 429 491 miles) from the surface of our planet at a relative velocity of 8.42 km/s. The closest approach is expected at 00:18 UTC.

This asteroid was discovered on December 8, 2016 by Mt. Lemmon Survey. 2016 XW20 is an Apollo-class near-Earth object with an estimated size of 13 – 29 m (42.6 – 95 feet). For comparison, estimated size of Chelyabinsk object of February 2013 was 20 – 40 m (65 – 131 feet). Pieces of that one survived the entry and the explosion it produced as it raced toward the surface injured over 1 000 people.

Ephemeris | Orbit Diagram | Orbital Elements | Physical Parameters | Close-Approach Data ]

As of December 8, 2016, there are 8 301 discovered Apollo-class asteroids.

References:

2016 XW20 at Minor Planet Center, at JPL.

Featured image: Asteroid 2016XW20 orbital diagram. Credit: NASA/JPL

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5 Comments

  1. I saw a fireball strike close to or on the Ohio State University main campus in Columbus, Ohio at 3:23 AM on December 13, 2016. It had short bright red flames coming out its trail. Somewhere from the OSU main ‘Oval’ to Neil and King Avenues there is an astroid. I could not tell the size of the ball other than it was larger than a basketball and smaller than half a Volkwagon Beetle. A close vector of its landing site can be drawn from 2519 N High St Columbus, Ohio through the intersection of Neil and W Norwood Avenues. Its landing spot would be somewhere beyong that intersection, probably on the OSU campus up to the King Av area.

  2. I saw this asteroid from my City Chennai , TamilNadu, India at 5.48 pm IST which is exactly 00.18 UTC. It was like a Ball of fire moving from left to right from my point of view.
    Never seen something like this before..

  3. I believe this is what i saw! from western Puerto Rico at around 8pm on dec 12. I was on the beach and saw a SUPER bright “star” shoot downward while looking in the direction of Venus so your map proves it! how exciting!

  4. Asteroids are called dhoomkethu which brings disasters! As per Hindu mythology .Nov saw many VIP death. Drought is also predicted. .lastly the ruler will lose his seat! Everywhere””!!

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