Don't look up!
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] A huge asteroid came within 300 miles of hitting Earth, and scientists only noticed after it had already skimmed past the planet.
The 9.8-foot (three metre) space rock, dubbed 2025 TF, flew over Antarctica in the early hours of October 1.
"Nearly the height of an NBA basket!"
Passing at an altitude of just 265 miles (428 kilometres), the rock came closer to the Earth's surface than the orbit of the International Space Station.
However, space agencies only realised the near-miss had occurred when the asteroid was detected by the Catalina Sky Survey a few hours later.
While a miss this close might sound alarming, the European Space Agency (ESA) claims there was never any serious danger.
Based on its estimated size, 2025 TF would have most likely burned up or exploded in the atmosphere rather than slamming into the surface.
ESA said in a statement: 'Objects of this size pose no significant danger.
'They can produce fireballs if they strike Earth’s atmosphere, and may result in the discovery of small meteorites on the ground.' |