12 October 2010
The trajectory of asteroid 2010 TD54
On 12 October 2010, asteroid 2010 TD54 will pass between Earth and the Moon. The minimum distance of 2010 TD54 will be about 45,000 km, or less than one-seventh the average Earth-Moon distance.
Credit: NASA/JPL
NASA has announced that a small asteroid will approach Earth to within about 45,000 km, on 12 October 2010. The asteroid, technically designated 2010 TD54, has zero probability of colliding with Earth. It was discovered on 9 October 2010, by a telescope of the NASA-sponsored Catalina Sky Survey, during a routine sky survey.
2010 TD54 is estimated to be 5-10 meters across, and will not be visible to the unaided eye. A medium-sized telescope is required to view the tiny celestial intruder. If 2010 TD54 were to plunge into Earth’s atmosphere, it would burn up, and disintegrate, high in the atmosphere, without causing any damage on Earth.
NASA discovers, tracks and characterizes asteroids and comets passing close to Earth, applying both ground- and space-based telescopes. The Near-Earth Object Observations Program, also known as "Spaceguard," detects these objects, classifies a subset of them, and plots their orbits to determine if any could be threatening Earth. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) manages the Near-Earth Object Program Office for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology.
References
NASA
www.nasa.gov/
Further Reading
Asteroid Watch
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/
Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem
Senior Astronomy Specialist