House-Sized Asteroid Sails Past Earth
Sep 7, 2014, 6:06 PM ET
An asteroid measuring 60 feet in diameter whizzed by Earth today, passing between our planet and the Moon -- just 25,000 miles away.
The asteroid came closest to earth at 2:18 p.m. ET, as it passed over New Zealand.
It was only a close call -- but close enough to remind us how vulnerable we are to asteroids hurtling through space.
The asteroid, which is the size of a house, flew frighteningly close to the orbit of Earth's satellites, which provide vital communications.
This asteroid, named 2014 RC, came close, but it wasn't the closest recent flyby. Astroid 2012DA 14 missed Earth by a measly 17,200 miles in February 2013.
More:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/hou...ry?id=25331768
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