Asteroid group Near-Earth asteroid | ||
Similar 99942 Apophis, (357439) 2004 BL86, 2014 HQ124, 2014 YB35, 2012 TC4 | ||
2014 UR116 (also known as 2008 XB) is an asteroid categorized as a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid with a diameter of roughly 400 meters (1,300 ft). On 21 October 2014, the asteroid passed 0.0854 AU (12,780,000 km; 7,940,000 mi) from Earth. On 10 April 2047, the asteroid will safely pass 0.0296 AU (4,430,000 km; 2,750,000 mi) from Earth.
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Although some inaccurate press reports have suggested that it may pose an impact risk to Earth, the NASA/JPL Near Earth Object Program Office reported that it poses no risk of impact to any planet for at least 150 years. Between 1904 and 2174, the closest approach it makes to any planet was on 9 June 2008 when it passed 0.0144 AU (2,150,000 km; 1,340,000 mi) from Mars. The asteroid has never been listed on the Sentry Risk Table and has a well determined orbit with an observation arc of 6 years.
Nasa asteroid 2014 ur116 will miss earth despite russian reports
Discovery
The asteroid was first detected (also see precovery) on 1 December 2008 by the Mount Lemmon Survey and received the provisional designation 2008 XB. However, at an apparent magnitude of 20 and an assumed orbital eccentricity of 0.3, the object had a very short observation arc of less than 2 hours and 2008 XB became a lost minor planet. It was only recovered as 2014 UR116 on 27 October 2014 by observers at the MASTER-II observatory in Kislovodsk, Russia. The body is now known to have an eccentricity of 0.72.