| Discovery | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Catalina Sky Survey |
| Discovery date | 6 November 2009 |
| Designations | |
| none | |
| Apollo (NEO) | |
| Orbital characteristics | |
| Epoch 6 November 2009 (JD 2455141.5) | |
| Uncertainty parameter 9 | |
| Observation arc | 3 hours |
| Aphelion | 1.93 AU |
| Perihelion | 0.9177 AU |
| 1.43 AU | |
| Eccentricity | 0.357 |
| 1.71 yr | |
| 339° | |
| 0° 34m 39.396s /day | |
| Inclination | 7.5° |
| 224.5° | |
| 224° | |
| Earth MOID | 0.00013 AU (19,000 km) |
| Jupiter MOID | 3.3 AU |
| Physical characteristics | |
| ~6 meters | |
| 28.6 | |
2009 VA is an asteroid that came within 14,000 kilometres (8,700 mi) of Earth on 6 November 2009 making it the third closest non-impacting approach of a cataloged asteroid.
With a diameter of only 7 metres (23 ft), scientists think that even if it had been on a direct collision course with Earth, it would have likely burned up in the atmosphere. The space rock made its pass by Earth just fifteen hours after its discovery.
The asteroid was first discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey at the University of Arizona. It was determined that the object would make a pass well within the orbit of the Moon, but would not strike Earth. The object passed so close to Earth that its orbit was modified by Earth's gravity.
