Fortunately, both space rocks were too small (30 feet and 50 feet wide) and far away (50,000 miles and 150,000 miles away) to cause any damage to either our planet or our satellites – 150,000 miles is about halfway between Earth and the moon!
Scientists actually estimate that at least one small asteroid passes between Earth and the moon on a daily basis! Fortunately, most are so small that if they are drawn by Earth’s gravity they merely burn up in our atmosphere. Therefore, instruments that detect nearby asteroids are not programmed to detect rocks smaller than 100 feet in diameter.
In fact, even these two asteroids would have burned up in our atmosphere if they hit Earth.
Scientists actually estimate that at least one small asteroid passes between Earth and the moon on a daily basis! Fortunately, most are so small that if they are drawn by Earth’s gravity they merely burn up in our atmosphere. Therefore, instruments that detect nearby asteroids are not programmed to detect rocks smaller than 100 feet in diameter.
In fact, even these two asteroids would have burned up in our atmosphere if they hit Earth.
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