Asteroid 2017 YE7 flew past Earth at 0.80 LD on December 30
A newly discovered asteroid designated 2017 YE7 flew past Earth at 0.80 LD / 0.00206 AU (~308 171 km / 191 488 miles) on December 30, 2017.
This asteroid was first observed at Mt. Lemmon Survey on December 28, two days before its close approach.
It belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids and has an estimated diameter of 5.2 – 12 m (17 – 39 feet).
2017 YE7 made closest approach to our planet at 17:47 UTC on December 30, with an estimated speed (relative to the Earth) of 29.19 km/s.
[ Ephemeris | Orbit Diagram | Orbital Elements | Physical Parameters | Close-Approach Data ]
This is the second known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since December 28 and the third since November 21. It is also the 53rd such asteroid this year.
Reference:
Asteroid 2017 YE7 at Minor Planet Center; CNEOS
Featured image: Featured image: The green line indicates the object's apparent motion relative to the Earth, and the bright green marks are the object's location at approximately one-hour intervals. The Moon's orbit is grey. The blue arrow points in the direction of Earth's motion and the yellow arrow points toward the Sun. Credit: Minor Planet Center.
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