List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2017
Time of discovery of asteroids which came closer to Earth than the Moon in 2017 |
Below is the list of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2017.
Timeline of known close approaches less than one lunar distance from Earth in 2017
A list of known near-Earth asteroid close approaches less than 1 lunar distance (0.0025696 AU (384,410 km; 238,860 mi)) from Earth in 2017.[a]
For reference, the radius of Earth is approximately 0.0000426 AU (6,370 km; 3,960 mi) or 0.0166 lunar distances.
Geosynchronous satellites have an orbit with semi-major axis length of 0.000282 AU (42,200 km; 26,200 mi) or 0.110 lunar distances. In 2017, five known asteroids have traveled nearer than this, 2017 GM, 2017 UJ2, YU95BEF, 2017 EA, and 2017 WE30. P10ELNY and A104Vqx probably have traveled nearer, but knowledge of their orbits is too poor to be sure.
While most asteroids on this list are confirmed, well-observed unconfirmed objects with a 50% or greater chance of passing within 1 LD of the Earth are included as well.
This list does not include any of the 29 objects that collided with earth in 2017, none of which were discovered in advance, but were recorded by sensors designed to detect detonation of nuclear devices (of the 29 objects detected, 6 had an impact energy greater than that of a 1 kiloton device).[1]
Rows highlighted red indicate objects which were not discovered until after closest approach
Rows highlighted yellow indicate objects discovered less than 24 hours before closest approach
Rows highlighted green indicate objects discovered more than one week before closest approach
Rows highlighted turquoise indicate objects discovered more than 7 weeks before closest approach
Rows highlighted blue indicate objects discovered more than one year before closest approach (i.e.
objects successfully cataloged on a previous orbit, rather than being detected during final approach)
Date of closest approach | Date discovered | Object | Nominal geocentric distance (AU)[b] | Nominal geocentric dist. (LD) | Size (m) (approx.) | (H) (mag) | Closer to Moon? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017-01-09 | 2017-01-07[2] | 2017 AG13 | 0.00139 AU (208,000 km; 129,000 mi) | 0.54 | 13–41 | 26.1[3] | |
2017-01-25 | 2017-01-20[4] | 2017 BX | 0.00178 AU (266,000 km; 165,000 mi) | 0.69 | 5–18 | 28.0[5] | |
2017-01-30 | 2017-01-29[6] | 2017 BH30 | 0.000347 AU (51,900 km; 32,300 mi) | 0.13[c] | 4–12 | 28.8[7] | |
2017-02-02 | 2017-01-30[8] | 2017 BS32 | 0.00109 AU (163,000 km; 101,000 mi) | 0.42 | 7–24 | 27.3[9] | |
2017-02-23 | 2017-02-21[10] | 2017 DG16 | 0.000920 AU (137,600 km; 85,500 mi) | 0.36 | 3–9 | 29.3[11] | Yes |
2017-02-25 | 2017-02-22[12] | 2017 DR34 | 0.00149 AU (223,000 km; 139,000 mi) | 0.58 | 3–11 | 29.1[13] | |
2017-03-02 | 2017-03-02[14] | 2017 EA | 0.000140 AU (20,900 km; 13,000 mi) | 0.054 | 1–5 | 30.8[15] | |
2017-03-05 | 2017-02-27[16] | 2017 DS109 | 0.00236 AU (353,000 km; 219,000 mi) | 0.92 | 13–43 | 25.9[17] | |
2017-03-17 | 2017-03-19[18] | 2017 FD3 | 0.00120 AU (180,000 km; 112,000 mi) | 0.47 | 6–20 | 27.7[19] | |
2017-03-17 | 2017-03-19[20] | 2017 FW158 | 0.000815 AU (121,900 km; 75,800 mi) | 0.32 | 5–14 | 28.4[21] | |
2017-03-19 | 2017-03-17[22] | 2017 FS | 0.000730 AU (109,200 km; 67,900 mi) | 0.28 | 3–11 | 29.0[23] | |
2017-03-20 | 2017-03-21[24] | 2017 FX158 | 0.00182 AU (272,000 km; 169,000 mi) | 0.71 | 3–11 | 29.0[25] | |
2017-03-20 | 2017-03-20[26] | 2017 FN1 | 0.000423 AU (63,300 km; 39,300 mi) | 0.16 | 2–5 | 30.6[27] | |
2017-03-20 | 2017-03-20[28] | 2017 FM1 | 0.000856 AU (128,100 km; 79,600 mi) | 0.33 | 3–9 | 29.5[29] | |
2017-03-30 | 2017-03-25[30] | 2017 FJ101 | 0.00217 AU (325,000 km; 202,000 mi) | 0.85 | 4–15 | 28.5[31] | |
2017-04-02 | 2017-03-29[32] | 2017 FU102 | 0.00146 AU (218,000 km; 136,000 mi) | 0.57 | 4–13 | 28.7[33] | |
2017-04-04 | 2017-04-03[34] | 2017 GM | 0.000109 AU (16,300 km; 10,100 mi) | 0.042 | 2–7 | 29.9[35] | |
2017-04-16 | 2017-04-17[36] | 2017 HJ | 0.000908 AU (135,800 km; 84,400 mi) | 0.35 | 7–22 | 27.5[37] | |
2017-04-22 | 2017-04-26[38] | 2017 HG4 | 0.00156 AU (233,000 km; 145,000 mi) | 0.61 | 6–21 | 27.6[39] | |
2017-04-23 | 2017-04-22[40] | 2017 HV2 | 0.000838 AU (125,400 km; 77,900 mi) | 0.33 | 3–12 | 28.9[41] | |
2017-05-02 | 2017-05-01[42] | 2017 JA | 0.000666 AU (99,600 km; 61,900 mi) | 0.26 | 3–13 | 28.9[43] | |
2017-05-04 | 2017-05-02[44] | 2017 JQ1 | 0.00114 AU (171,000 km; 106,000 mi) | 0.44 | 3–9 | 29.4[45] | |
2017-05-04 | 2017-05-06[46] | 2017 JB2 | 0.000372 AU (55,700 km; 34,600 mi) | 0.14 | 3–11 | 29.0[47] | |
2017-07-21 | 2017-07-23[48] | 2017 OO1 | 0.000852 AU (127,500 km; 79,200 mi) | 0.33 | 26–93 | 24.4[49] | |
2017-08-14 | 2017-08-16[50] | 2017 QP1 | 0.000419 AU (62,700 km; 38,900 mi) | 0.16 | 31–91 | 24.3[51] | |
2017-08-20 | 2017-08-18[52] | 2017 QN2 | 0.00145 AU (217,000 km; 135,000 mi) | 0.56 | 5–22 | 27.9[53] | |
2017-09-03 | 2017-08-31[54] | 2017 QB35 | 0.00238 AU (356,000 km; 221,000 mi) | 0.93 | 3–9 | 29.3[55] | |
2017-09-14 | 2017-09-18[56] | 2017 SQ2 | 0.00133 AU (199,000 km; 124,000 mi) | 0.52 | 14–49 | 25.8[57] | |
2017-09-20 | 2017-09-17[58] | 2017 SM2 | 0.00207 AU (310,000 km; 192,000 mi) | 0.81 | 6–26 | 27.3[59] | |
2017-09-20 | 2017-09-21[60] | 2017 SZ32 | 0.00137 AU (205,000 km; 127,000 mi) | 0.53 | 3–9 | 29.2[61] | Yes |
2017-09-20 | 2017-09-20[62] | 2017 SR2 | 0.000623 AU (93,200 km; 57,900 mi) | 0.24 | 4–12 | 28.5[63] | |
2017-09-24 | 2017-09-25[64] | 2017 SS12 | 0.00172 AU (257,000 km; 160,000 mi) | 0.67 | 8–27 | 27.0[65] | Yes |
2017-09-30 | 2017-10-01[66] | 2017 TQ2 | 0.000691 AU (103,400 km; 64,200 mi) | 0.27 | 3–8 | 29.4[67] | |
2017-10-02 | 2017-09-29[68] | 2017 SX17 | 0.00058 AU (87,000 km; 54,000 mi) | 0.23 | 4–16 | 28.1[69] | |
2017-10-10 | 2017-10-14[70] | 2017 TF5 | 0.00187 AU (280,000 km; 174,000 mi) | 0.73 | 20–95 | 24.7[71] | |
2017-10-12 | 2012-10-04[72] | 2012 TC4 | 0.000335 AU (50,100 km; 31,100 mi) | 0.13[d] | 10–31 | 26.7[73] | |
2017-10-13 | 2017-10-21[74] (Unconfirmed) | YT80190 | 0.000537 AU (80,300 km; 49,900 mi) | 0.21[e] | 2–6 | 30.4 | |
2017-10-15 | 2017-10-16[75] | 2017 UF | 0.00255 AU (381,000 km; 237,000 mi) | 0.992 | 5–20 | 27.9[76] | |
2017-10-16 | 2017-10-15[77] | 2017 TH5 | 0.000668 AU (99,900 km; 62,100 mi) | 0.26 | 4–18 | 28.2[78] | |
2017-10-17 | 2017-10-19[79] | 2017 UR2 | 0.00213 AU (319,000 km; 198,000 mi) | 0.83 | 6–19 | 27.8[80] | |
2017-10-19 | 2017-10-11[81] | 2017 TD6 | 0.00128 AU (191,000 km; 119,000 mi) | 0.50 | 7–28 | 27.2[82] | Yes |
2017-10-20 | 2017-10-21[83] | 2017 UJ2 | 0.000120 AU (18,000 km; 11,200 mi) | 0.047 | 1–5 | 30.8[84] | |
2017-10-21 | 2017-10-25[85] | 2017 UA52 | 0.00132 AU (197,000 km; 123,000 mi) | 0.51 | 4–15 | 28.5[86] | Yes |
2017-10-22 | 2017-10-30[74] (Unconfirmed) | YU92F9B | 0.00121 AU (181,000 km; 112,000 mi) | 0.47[f] | 3–10 | 29.2 | |
2017-10-22 | 2017-10-30[74] (Unconfirmed) | YU95BEF | 0.000130 AU (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) | 0.051[g] | 5–15 | 28.2 | |
2017-10-28 | 2017-10-27[87] | 2017 UL6 | 0.000398 AU (59,500 km; 37,000 mi) | 0.16 | 1–3 | 32.0[88] | |
2017-10-30 | 2017-10-29[89] | 2017 UK8 | 0.00151 AU (226,000 km; 140,000 mi) | 0.59 | 4–17 | 28.3[90] | |
2017-11-04 | 2017-11-05[91] | 2017 VE | 0.00227 AU (340,000 km; 211,000 mi) | 0.88 | 10–31 | 26.6[92] | |
2017-11-08 | 2017-11-16[74] (Unconfirmed) | A104Vqx | 0.000222 AU (33,200 km; 20,600 mi) | 0.086[h] | 4–14 | 28.4 | |
2017-11-09 | 2017-11-10[93] | 2017 VL2 | 0.000787 AU (117,700 km; 73,200 mi) | 0.31 | 13–42 | 26.1[94] | |
2017-11-13 | 2017-11-15[95] | 2017 VF14 | 0.00205 AU (307,000 km; 191,000 mi) | 0.80 | 4–14 | 28.5[96] | |
2017-11-14 | 2017-11-20[74] (Unconfirmed) | P10ELNY | 0.000212 AU (31,700 km; 19,700 mi) | 0.083[i] | 4–12 | 28.8 | |
2017-11-21 | 2017-11-20[97] | 2017 WW1 | 0.000942 AU (140,900 km; 87,600 mi) | 0.37 | 3–7 | 29.7[98] | |
2017-11-21 | 2017-11-22[99] | 2017 WA14 | 0.000633 AU (94,700 km; 58,800 mi) | 0.25 | 6–26 | 27.5[100] | |
2017-11-26 | 2017-11-26[101] | 2017 WE30 | 0.000201 AU (30,100 km; 18,700 mi) | 0.078 | 1–3 | 31.9[102] | |
2017-12-28 | 2017-12-25[103] | 2017 YZ4 | 0.00149 AU (223,000 km; 139,000 mi) | 0.58 | 4–18 | 28.2[104] | |
2017-12-30 | 2017-12-28[105] | 2017 YE7 | 0.00206 AU (308,000 km; 191,000 mi) | 0.80 | 4–13 | 28.5[106] |
Warning times by size
This sub-section visualises the warning times of the close approaches listed in the above table, depending on the size of the asteroid. The sizes of the charts show the relative sizes of the asteroids to scale. For comparison, the approximate size of a person is also shown. This is based the absolute magnitude of each asteroid, an approximate measure of size based on brightness.
Abs Magnitude 30 and greater
(size of a person for comparison)