Last week, Planetary Society Shoemaker NEO grant winner Gary Hug of Kansas, USA discovered the asteroid 2012 SY49 that flew by Earth about 2 lunar distances away later in the week. He said the discovery was only possible because of the upgraded camera he purchased with the Shoemaker NEO grant. Read more
Orbital elements:
2012 SY49 Earth MOID = 0.0002 AU
Epoch 2012 Sept. 30.0 TT = JDT 2456200.5 MPC
M 334.30947 (2000.0) P Q
n 0.52113192 Peri. 84.12092 -0.00394629 -0.99998975
a 1.5293408 Node 6.10651 +0.90901792 -0.00451262
e 0.5575811 Incl. 1.19603 +0.41673835 +0.00037386
P 1.89 H 25.7 G 0.15 U 7
The 19 - 42 metre wide asteroid 2012 SY49 will make a close pass (2.6 lunar distances, 0.0067 AU), travelling at 15.85 km/second, to the Earth-Moon system on the 28th September, 2012 @ 01:05 UT ±00:02.