(Before It's News)
Asteroid 2014 HQ124
Its not unusual for asteroids to whiz past earth inside or just outside the orbit of the moon, (1 lunar distance). What is less common these days, is to detect a new, previously unknown, ~300-550m wide Asteroid approaching to 3 Lunar distances.
Asteroid 2014 HQ124 is interesting for a number of reasons. Approaching quietly in the pre-dawn twilight, out of reach of all but the most southern telescopes, it is inclined to the plane of the solar system by 26 degrees and it is currently at -71 degrees declination. This is a little unusual for an object that big, although not without precedent.
2014 HQ124 was discovered by the WISE (Wide Field Infrared Survey). WISE is not only a wide field survey but a versatile space telescope that has produced a wide range of data, including galactic surveys, discovering 19 comets, finding earth’s first trojan asteroid, and recently eliminating the possibility of a Planet X greater than or equal to the size of Neptune (ie something as big as Uranus and Neptune would have been detected if it was there).
Asteroid 2014 HQ124 was discovered on April 23rd, 2014 and its closest approach (~3 Lunar distances) will occur June 8th. Current estimates show it to be between .25 miles – .56 miles wide, and traveling at 31,000 mph.
Lot’s of “near-misses” lately. One of these days, Alice, POW! -right in the kisser!