The asteroid that came closer to Earth than our satellites
In short: Asteroid 2012 DA14 was small enough to appear tiny in even the best ground-based telescopes. Yet, its recent flyby was a significant astronomical event, bringing a celestial body the size of half a football field within 17,000 miles of our planet.
While 2012 DA14 posed no threat to life or infrastructure on Earth, its proximity was remarkable. It passed within approximately 5,000 miles of the altitude where many of our geosynchronous satellites reside. This proximity allows astronomers to study the characteristics of near-Earth objects that might otherwise be difficult to observe in such detail.
The study of these objects is part of a broader effort to understand our solar neighborhood. For instance, NASA's Parker Solar Probe is currently tackling the complexities of the Sun itself. By making close approaches to the solar surface, the probe measures solar wind and activity to understand how the Sun's atmosphere changes throughout its 11-year activity cycle.
These missions are critical for human safety and infrastructure. Understanding the physics of space weather—including coronal mass ejections and solar flares—is essential for protecting astronauts, satellites, air travel, and terrestrial power grids. Data gathered from these extreme environments, whether from passing asteroids or the Sun's corona, provides the foundation for safer deep-space missions to the Moon and Mars.
The Parker Solar Probe, which launched in August 2018, recently completed its 27th swing around the Sun on March 11. It matched its record distance of 3.8 million miles from the solar surface and its record speed of 430,000 miles per hour. These measurements are particularly vital now that the Sun has reached its solar maximum period.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Bye-Bye, Flyby on This Week @NASA
- Also: Parker Solar Probe Makes 27th Swing Around the Sun
- Also: NASA — NASA
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