Asteroid 2010 AL30 at only 0.0009 A.U. from the Earth

[ricci]

On day January 13 the asteroid 2010 AL30 will be at only 0.0009 A.U. from the Earth.

www.pierpaoloricci.it/news_eng.htm

[Catanonia]

is that close ?

[skye at night]

it is only 18 metres in diameter....

but in more 'measurable terms it will be 0.3 lunar distances from us..

so will pass at around only 70000 miles or so...

anything within the orbit of the moon is close...

an 18m lump while not going to make us extinct, would maybe make a bit of a hole depending on what it was made of.. or maybe just a good light show..

Steve

[badgerchap]

The asteroid will pass slightly below 84000 miles from us, which is just shy of 7x Earth's diameter. As it is about 18m across, it might cause an event similar to the Tunguska Event in 1908. The Tunguska asteroid, if it was indeed an asteroid, created a large blast, but no crater. Chances are it exploded in the atmosphere above the earth, never actually impacting the surface. The Tunguska event suits an object 80m wide, over four times the width of the one in question here. I suppose, therefore, that our January event would be less "Deep Impact" and more like a champagne cork. Pretty though, and probably quite hairy for any passing airliners!

[skye at night]

It is noted on Nasa and Spaceweather that the 1 year orbital path of the object suggests a man-made origin, space debris of sorts...

due to pass through orion tonight/13th...

Steve

[ricci]

I have updated the page with new ephemerides.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

That is very close indeed, even if it is small. If it is man-made, it is probably hollow, and should burn up in the atmosphere (at some future visit). Would like to be in its path though.