Update: 3-Mile-Wide Asteroid XE54 Passes Just 226,000km From Earth

theintelhub.com
December 12, 2012

Late last week Shepard Ambellas of The Intel Hub wrote about the possibility of a massive new object moving towards earth.

Last Weeks article stated that:

“NASA’s Stereo Behind HI-2 Camera shows some startling footage as an amazing discovery has been found.  A massive object with a tail appears to be moving toward earth at a rapid rate. “This does not look like the typical Sun Grazer coming in as it is in a very different path” states the maker of the video.  This object has been captured by NASA equipment over the last several weeks.”

Now in the past few days a newly discovered asteroid, possibly the same one that Shepard wrote about last week, has passed earth safety, but still came a bit too close for comfort.  Asteroid 2012 XE54 was over 3 miles wide, and while it was no danger to earth, it did come close enough for scientists to gather data that they have never been able to before, so the close proximity may have been a blessing in disguise.

The Daily Mail reported that:

“As Earth prepares for a double flyby of asteroids in the next day, astronomers have created this unique view of the earth – from an asteroid as it passes close by.  This animation shows the Sun and the Earth as observed from the asteroid 2012 XE54, which alongside a long-studied giant space rock named Toutatis will pass close to Earth later today.

Luckily, there is no danger of either hitting Earth – but scientists say the unique occurrence could help them learn a lot about asteroids.  Asteroid 2012 XE54 was only recently discovered, and will safely pass between the Earth and the Moon’s orbit at a distance of about 226,000 km (141,000 miles) or about .6 lunar distances.

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