2010 TD54

Asteroid 2010 TD54 Earth encounter (Source:NASA/JPL)

2010 TD54 is a small asteroid-like object that was discovered in an orbit that crossed through the Earth-moon system. It made its closest approach at 10:51, 12 October 2010 UTC (6:51 EDT a.m.).[1] NASA reported its size as about 5 to 10 metres in diameter, possessing an absolute magnitude of 28.9;[2] its closest approach to Earth was about 0.000346 AU (51,800 km; 32,200 mi),[2] one of the closest known approaches of an asteroid to Earth, at which time the object appeared about 14th magnitude. One of the Catalina Sky Survey telescopes north of Tucson, Arizona discovered it on 9 October 2010.[1]

2010 TD54 has an Earth Minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of 0.0000061 AU (910 km; 570 mi).[2] It was removed from the Sentry Risk Table on 11 October 2010.[3] The asteroid may have passed 0.0009 AU (130,000 km; 84,000 mi) from Earth in October 1979, but the nominal orbit suggests it passed millions of kilometres from Earth in 1979.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Small Asteroid to Pass Within Earth-Moon System Tuesday". NASA. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2010 TD54)
  3. ↑ "Date/Time Removed". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. Retrieved 2012-03-19.

External links