Bus-Sized Asteroid Passed Between Satellites and Earth
Posted to YouTube by nemesis maturity 4,504 views
Published on Sep 27, 2015
Astronomers spotted an asteroid this week after it had flown past Earth on a course that took it so close to the planet it was below the orbits of some satellites.
The bus-sized space rock (25 feet) flew by Earth
a mere 29,500 km away.This distance is around one tenth the distance of the moon from the Earth.
The asteroid passed just under the orbits of geostationary satellites, which at 22,300 miles (36,000 kilometers) altitude are the highest man-made objects circling Earth.
Most other satellites, along with the International Space Station, circle the planet at just a few hundred miles up.
The space rock approached Earth from near the Sun and so would have been nearly impossible to detect prior to close passage.
Astronomers are aware of this significant blind spot for asteroids that approach Earth while in the glare of the Sun.
Only a space telescope could detect such objects before they arrive.
Over the last few decades, scientists are growing increasingly concerned about the risk of a giant space rock crashing into the planet.
While the danger is very real as evidenced by the 2013
Astronomers spotted an asteroid this week after it had flown past Earth on a course that took it so close to the planet it was below the orbits of some satellites.
The bus-sized space rock (25 feet) flew by Earth
a mere 29,500 km away.This distance is around one tenth the distance of the moon from the Earth.
The asteroid passed just under the orbits of geostationary satellites, which at 22,300 miles (36,000 kilometers) altitude are the highest man-made objects circling Earth.
Most other satellites, along with the International Space Station, circle the planet at just a few hundred miles up.
The space rock approached Earth from near the Sun and so would have been nearly impossible to detect prior to close passage.
Astronomers are aware of this significant blind spot for asteroids that approach Earth while in the glare of the Sun.
Only a space telescope could detect such objects before they arrive.
Over the last few decades, scientists are growing increasingly concerned about the risk of a giant space rock crashing into the planet.
While the danger is very real as evidenced by the 2013
Chelyabinsk incident near misses are actually pretty common.
NASA scientists estimate that around 20 known asteroids pass very close to the Earth every year.
Asteroid 2015 SK7
Distance 0.07 LD - Estimated Size 25 feet
Clsosest approach Sept. 22 2015
2015 The SECOND Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
NASA scientists estimate that around 20 known asteroids pass very close to the Earth every year.
Asteroid 2015 SK7
Distance 0.07 LD - Estimated Size 25 feet
Clsosest approach Sept. 22 2015
2015 The SECOND Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
