New asteroid discovery 2016 EF195: 15,000 miles from Earth's surface

reported by  meteordetective

Things seem to be picking-up rapidly!

NASA NEOP has just posted details of asteroid 2016 EF195 which made its close-approach at just 15,558 miles from Earth's surface on 11-Mar-2016 at 03Z52.

2016 EF195 is estimated to be 20m - 50m in diameter (based on magnitude) and travelling at 10km/s  or 6.25 mi/s.  It's close-approach brought it beneath geo-stationary satellite altitude of ~22,236 miles.  It was not detected until 4 days after its close-approach.

It is the 4,881st asteroid (within 0.5 AU) to be discovered in the first two weeks of March 2016 (NASA period "E") and the 34th asteroid discovery of 2016 period "E" to approach within 10LD or less.

2016 EF195 is the 2nd asteroid within a month (the other was 2016 DY30) to make its close-approach below geo-stationary satellite altitude.

Keep your cameras ready and your eyes on the skies (when it's safe to do so).

2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!