This graphic depicts the passage of asteroid 2014 EC past Earth on March 6, 2014. The asteroid's closest approach is a distance equivalent to about one-sixth of the distance between Earth and the moon. Times indicated on the graphic are Universal Time. A time near closest approach, 2200 Universal Time, is 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST).
NASA detects, tracks and characterizes asteroids and comets using both ground- and space-based telescopes. The Near-Earth Object Observations Program, commonly called "Spaceguard," discovers these objects, characterizes a subset of them and identifies their close approaches to determine if any could be potentially hazardous to our planet.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Near-Earth Object Program Office for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
More information about asteroids and near-Earth objects is at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch .
Name | Value | Additional Values |
---|---|---|
Target | 2014 EC | |
System | Near Earth Objects | |
Target Type | Asteroid | |
Mission | ||
Instrument Host | ||
Host Type | ||
Instrument | ||
Detector | ||
Extra Keywords | Color | |
Acquisition Date | ||
Release Date | 2014-03-06 | |
Date in Caption | 2014-03-06 | |
Image Credit | NASA/JPL-Caltech | |
Source | photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17957 | |
Identifier | PIA17957 |