Near Earth Objects are those objects whose orbit brings it into close to the Earth. There are literally thousands of them. They are divided into three categories. They are Near Earth meteoroids (rocks with diameters <50M), Near Earth Asteroids (rocks with diameters >50M), and Near Earth comets.
A 50m Near Earth meteoroid sounds pretty big but if one of these were to impact Earth they would not cause widespread damage. Near Earth meteoroids are not therefore considered a significant risk. Near Earth Objects approach distances are measured in lunar distances (LD) The Moon being 1 LD from the Earth (384,000Km). Below is a list of future know close approaches from October to the end of the year courtesy of spaceweather.com
Object Date(UT) Miss Distance Size
2012 SJ58 Oct 3 5.9 LD 26 m
1998 UO1 Oct 4 60.1 LD 2.1 km
2012 TV Oct 7 0.7 LD 40 m
2012 TC4 Oct 12 0.2 LD 22 m
2005 GQ21 Oct 12 77 LD 1.0 km
1998 ST49 Oct 18 28.7 LD 1.3 km
1991 VE Oct 26 34 LD 1.1 km
2001 CV26 Oct 30 68 LD 2.4 km
2007 PA8 Nov 5 16.8 LD 2.4 km
2010 JK1 Nov 25 9.3 LD 56 m
2009 LS Nov 28 55.2 LD 1.1 km
2009 BS5 Dec 11 8.4 LD 15 m
4179 Toutatis Dec 12 18 LD 2.7 km
The Near Earth meteoroid 2012TC4 is of particular interest as although it not very big it is passing very close, less than 77,000Km. Nothing to get particularly worried about though.
Any object with a diameter 100 m and passes within 19.5 LD is further classified as a potentially hazardous object (PHO). There are 1331 potentially hazardous object known (approximately 85 comets the rest are asteroids). However this number is estimated to be only about 25% of the total. We are discovering new ones all the time. In the event of impact with these would cause significant regional damage and would be devastating to humanity. Impacts like this occur on average around once per 10,000 years.
Other than the very, very slight chance that something new with and orbit leading to an impact could be discovered we are free and clear of any major impacts until the end of this year at least.
Looks like the "2012 DA14" is Tunguska-sized asteroid, will pass at approximately our Moon's distance on February 16'th, it'll be interesting
2012DA14 will pass 0.09 lunar distance from us - thats closer than some satellites. check www.spaceweather.com for latest
Here is the complete list until the end of February.
Asteroid Date(UT) Miss Distance Size
2012 XE54 Dec 11 0.6 LD 36 m
2012 XL55 Dec 11 4.2 LD 17 m
2009 BS5 Dec 11 8.4 LD 15 m
4179 Toutatis Dec 12 18 LD 2.7 km
2012 XM16 Dec 16 3.1 LD 31 m
2003 SD220 Dec 23 59.8 LD 1.8 km
1998 WT24 Dec 23 69.2 LD 1.1 km
2012 XM55 Dec 23 3.1 LD 12 m
2012 XP55 Dec 27 9.1 LD 67 m
1999 HA2 Feb 5 58 LD 1.3 km
3752 Camillo Feb 12 57.5 LD 3.4 km
1999 YK5 Feb 15 49.1 LD 2.1 km
2012 DA14 Feb 15 0.09 LD 57 m
2009 AV Feb 25 59.7 LD 1.0 km
As TG pointed out 2012DA14 has the closest approach of any currently known Near Earth Object for the next two months. Also interesting is that there are no no known close approaches in the month of January and notably nothing at all on December 21st. 😀 😀
What's that?
Nothing for Dec.21st?
ARE YOU SURE?
Dec 21 ---- 2004 J01
I came across this today and I thought it was interesting. I for one, have never thought of this as a possible side effect of comets or other space things.
Sun-Grazing Comets As Triggers For Electromagnetic Armageddon
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2012/11/30/sun-grazing-comets-as-the-trigger-for-electromagnetic-armageddon/
If your home library contains more volumes about survival-related topics than your local public library, you might be a prepper.
Nice find. I was not aware of that possible cause of an EMP either. At least with a Sun-grazing comet we would get some prior warning.
I'm not sure if this can be called a near earth object yet... but it is passing by tonight, and again in 2029 or 2036.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/09/apophis_size_mistake/
and another link
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/geekquinox/27-megaton-asteroid-apophis-flies-earth-could-strike-170212143.html
If your home library contains more volumes about survival-related topics than your local public library, you might be a prepper.
The asteriod Apophis which was discovered in 2004 is a Near Earth Object. This approach was not close but it will be very close in 2029 when it will have a roughtly 2.7% of impacting Earth. It will be close again in 2036. The new information confirms its size around 325 meters a little larger than previously thought. This is not a "doomsday asteroid" and not in the same ball park as as the 10Km asteroid that hit the earth 65 million years ago wiping out the dinosaurs and caused the extinction of 50% of life on the planet.
Feb 14--(2012 DA14) passes by at LD .09
Yes I have been following that one. JPL puts the chances of impact as 0 on the Torino scale (Torino Impact Hazard Scale). Their definition of 0 is" The likelihood of a collision is zero, or is so low as to be effectively zero. Also applies to small objects such as meteors and bodies that burn up in the atmosphere as well as infrequent meteorite falls that rarely cause damage."
This will be a close approach of 34,100 km, very close in astronomical terms and less than 1/10 the distance to the Moon. However this 46m hunk of rock does not pose any immediate threat. However it is within the 35,786 km orbital distance of our geosynchronous satellites and well within the orbital distance of high orbit satellites.
is this conspiracy theory or fact?
Since I can not personally see it, it must be a conspiracy. I am taking someones word for it that asteroids exist I guess.Thanks for clearing that up WildE, I dont know what I was thinking. 😉