Select  
  Home     Exhibition     Resources     FAQs     News     Search       Contact us    
 
  Latest News
Events
Browse News
Search
Latest News

Another Close Approach by a Small Asteroid
23/12/02
 

A relatively small asteroid passed within 120,000 kilometres of Earth on 11 December. That is around a third of the distance between the Moon and Earth. The object, preliminarily designated as 2002 XV90, was detected the day after the close approach.

With an estimated diameter between 25 and 60 metres, 2002 XV90 was far too small to have any direct global consequences. However, such an object would likely have caused a significant atmospheric detonation.

The close approach highlights the difficulties involved in detecting such small NEOs, particularly if they emerge from the direction of the Sun.


More info: Orbital information available at NEODyS

Related News
Asteroid 2002MN gives Earth a close shave

Goto to the news list

© NEO Information Centre
last updated on 25/09/06
[email protected]


Operated by a consortium led by the
National Space Centre