Asteroids 2010 RX30 and 2010 RF12 coming close to Earth

William Atkins
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 07:39

Science - Space

NASA announced that two asteroids will pass inside the orbit of the Moon on Wednesday, September 8, 2010. NASA reassures everyone there is a 0% chance that either will hit us.

 

The September 7, 2010 NASA media brief, 'NASA Scientists Talk About Asteroids Pasing Near Earth Wednesday' talks about the two near-Earth objects (in this case, asteroids) heading in our general direction.

Asteroid 2010 RX30 is about 32 to 65 feet (10 to 22 meters) in size.

It will pass within approximately 154,000 miles (248,000 kilometers) of Earth at 5:51 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Wednesday morning, September 8, 2010.

Then, about 12 hours later, here comes another one our way!

Asteroid 2010 RF12 is approximately 20 to 46 feet (6.5 to 15.3 meters) in size.

It will pass within about 49,000 miles (80,000 kilometers) of Earth -- oh, a bit closer -- at 5:12 p.m. EDT on Wednesday evening.

The Moon is about 240,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth - so both are well within the orbit of the Moon (at it circles its mother planet, Earth) but still traveling far away from Earth.

Specifically, NASA states, "Neither asteroid will hit Earth."

Page two concludes with information for amateur sky watchers.