A meteorite grazes the earth

Scientists were stunned to learn that a meteorite flew nearly 14,000 kilometers from Earth last Friday but they only discovered it before 15 hours.

According to Daily Mail, the Catalina Sky Survey telescopes (USA) discovered meteorites - named 2009 VA - on October 6, 2009. The American Asteroid Center then confirmed it as "near-earth object".

Although the shortest distance between the Earth and 2009 VA is about 13,920 km, the diameter of the meteorite is only about 7 m so it is not big enough to cause disaster. With that size, 2009 VA will burn completely when rubbed against the atmosphere if it plunges into the globe. Objects of the same size fly close to the earth about twice a year and they hit the earth once every 5 years.

Artwork of the Daily Mail meteorite 2009 VA.

The Near-Earth Object Program (NEO) of the US Aerospace Agency (NASA) has identified the orbit of 2009 VA. They claim that although meteors fly very close to the earth, collisions will not occur. This is one of the three meteorites that fly close to the earth most humans detect.

NEO is responsible for detecting and tracking at least 90% of about 1,000 meteorites and comets with a diameter of 1 km or more and flying towards the earth. This program will end before 2020. NEO scientists once discovered a meteorite with a diameter of 30 m flying 72,000 km from Earth on March 2.