Archive for the 'Asteroid' Category

Asteroid 2055 YU55 passes close by Earth; how close did it get?

As you've probably heard, an asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier will be passing very close to our planet tonight. Don't panic! Even though this is the closest approach by an asteroid of this magnitude that scientists have known about in A 400-meter-wide asteroid created a lot of “buzz” as it buzzed by Earth, [...]

Science Scanner: Asteroid Narrowly Misses Earth

As you've probably heard, an asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier will be passing very close to our planet tonight. Don't panic! Even though this is the closest approach by an asteroid of this magnitude that scientists have known about in A 400-meter-wide asteroid created a lot of “buzz” as it buzzed by Earth, [...]

Asteroid Close Call With Earth? You Have No Idea

This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was obtained on 7 November 2011, at 2:45 p.m. EST, when the space rock was at 3.6 lunar distances, which is about 1.38 million km, from Earth. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech 7, 2011: This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 shows the space rock 3.6 lunar distances, which is about [...]

Bus-Sized Asteroid Barely Misses Hitting Earth

Today, Monday June 27 at about 17:00 UT, asteroid designated as 2011 MD will pass only 12300 kilometers (7600 miles) above the Earth's surface. Here are some images and an animation of the asteroid's close approach taken By RESHMA KIRPALANI NASA says a newly discovered asteroid will have a close encounter with Earth on Monday, [...]

First Photos of Incoming Asteroid 2011 MD

Accomplished amateur astronomer and blogger Peter Lake, a.k.a “AstroSwanny” from Australia captured some of the first images of what will be a very close pass of Earth by asteroid 2011 MD. He actually took the image at There's been continuing interest in this little asteroid that will fly some 7500 miles from Earth around 8:30 [...]

Asteroid Passes Earth Closer Than The Moon

Near-Earth asteroid 2011 MD will reach its closest point to Earth at about 1:00 PM EDT, passing over the southern Atlantic Ocean. On its way back out again, after its orbit's been bent by gravity, it will actually pass A large NASA spacecraft named Dawn is barreling toward an orbital rendezvous next month with a [...]