Asteroid 2017 EA flew past Earth at 0.05 LD
A newly discovered asteroid named 2017 EA flew past Earth at an extremely close distance of 0.05 LD (19 200 km / 11 930 miles) from the surface of our planet at 14:05 UTC on March 2, 2017. This is the 7th known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since January 9, 2017.
2017 EA has an estimated diameter between 2 and 4.4 m (6.5 to 14.4 feet) and belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids. It was first observed at Catalina Sky Survey just a couple of hours before its close approach.
It flew past Earth at 14:05 UTC today at a speed (relative to the Earth) of 18.43 km/s.
[ Ephemeris | Orbit Diagram | Orbital Elements | Physical Parameters | Close-Approach Data ]
This is the 7th, and the closest, known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since January 9, 2017:
Asteroid 2017 BS32 – Distance: at 0.41 LD – February 2
Asteroid 2017 BH30 – Distance: 0.17 LD – January 30
References:
Asteroid 2017 EA on Minor Planet Center, NEO/JPL, ESA/SSA
Featured image: ESA/NEO Coordination Centre. Edit: TW
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i think there are more asteriods because we have been having more bolides burning up in the sky in recent years in the news…..or it could be that there are more cameras and dash cams and cell phone cameras in the last few years that are catching these bolides as they happen than before…..the one that was 0.05 LD was too close though……
This seems like more than usual that a asteroid has come close to hitting us, what is going on? Are we just detecting these near miss better now with all our new equipment or is it there more asteroids heading our way? It also seems we don’t seem to have a lot of time once there detected, it would seem to me that it would be a priority to find out before we can’t do anything. Well sleep good tonight, who knows you may not wake up again! OUCH!
Yeah. Probably both.