[ad_1]
A disturbing new record was set for the close flight of an Earth asteroid after a space rock called 2020 VT4 came within 400 kilometers (250 miles) of the planet on Friday the 13th. And our planetary defenses lacked it.
The asteroid was identified by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii about 15 hours after it approached from our sun-exposed blind spot.
The newly discovered asteroid A10sHcN approached Earth yesterday, passing only a few hundred miles above the South Pacific Ocean. This encounter shortened its orbit, ensuring that this Earth cruiser will make more frequent approaches. Http://t.co/TmkzojIzPfpic.twitter.com/XrnKiiGTyJ
– Tony Dunn (@ tony873004) November 14, 2020
Estimated to measure between five and 10 meters (16-32 feet) in diameter (about 5.5 refrigerators stacked on top of each other), the 2020 VT4 made its approach closer to 5:20 pm universal time (UT) on Friday November 13 in the southern South Pacific, near the Pitcairn Islands.
For reference, the asteroid suspected of causing the 2013 Chelyabinsk event was at least twice the size of 2020VT4, which would likely burn up in the atmosphere and create a mini meteor shower in the process.
To put the flyby into context, the International Space Station also orbits 400 kilometers (250 miles) above the surface of the Earth, and the space rock skimmed low Earth orbit as it entered the sphere of geostationary satellites. Fortunately, no satellites were damaged during the flyby.
It marked the closest documented non-meteoric asteroid pass against Earth, after the previous record was set again this year, when the 2020 QG asteroid arrived 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) from Earth on August 16.
Also on rt.com
An asteroid has just made the closest flight on Earth on record … and no one has seen it coming
The flyby radically changed the asteroid’s path through the solar system, reducing its orbit from 549 days to 315 days. His next visit is scheduled for November 13, 2052, albeit at a much safer distance of 1.8 million miles (2.89 million km).
The close call understandably raised a lot of questions online about where Earth’s planetary defenses were and how they could have missed the object.
Where is the Space Force when you need it?
– Pete Erickson (@PeteJErickson) November 16, 2020
Couldn’t someone from Spaceforce aim at that thing like a mouse?
– inthisstyle10 / 6 (@carvealittlez) November 14, 2020
Because you didn’t practice a little and shot it down or smash it. Sounds like good practice for a bigger one, of course
– Randy (@ Randy90947284) November 17, 2020
– .America {float: left} 🇺🇸 (@winds_of_simoom) November 18, 2020
Also on rt.com
NASA flag FIVE asteroids en route TODAY as scientists evaluate planetary defense mission against planet killer Apophis in 2029
Do you think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
[ad_2]
Source link
