(科学) 지구위를 지나간 집채만한 소행성

출처/Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29098632

8 September 2014 Last updated at 00:27

Nasa: Asteroid 2014 RC flies past Earth 나사: 지구 위를 지나간 소행성 2014 RC 

The asteroid was about one-tenth of the distance from Earth to the moon 이 소행성은 지구와 달 거리의 10분의 1 위치에 있었다  

A small asteroid about the size of a house is passing Earth, US space agency Nasa says. 집 한 채 크기의 작은 소행성이 지구를 지나간다고, 나사 미우주국은 전한다.

At its closest point, the asteroid 2014 RC passed over New Zealand at 18:18 GMT on Sunday. It is about 18m (60ft) wide. 가장 근접했던 지점은 소행성 2014 RC가 지난 일요일 GMT 18:18 뉴질랜드 상공을 지날 때였다. 이 소행성은 두께가 약 18미터였다.

Nasa says it is about 40,000km (25,000 miles) away, and posed no danger to Earth.

However, a meteorite that landed near the Nicaraguan capital Managua on Sunday could have come from the asteroid, experts there said.

The object caused an explosion and earth tremor, leaving a crater 12m (39ft) across and 5m deep near the city's airport.

Nicaraguan volcanologist Humberto Garcia said: "It could have come off that asteroid because it is normal for that to occur. We have to study it more because it could be ice or rock."

The asteroid that flew past Earth was first discovered on 31 August and, at its closest approach, was about one-tenth of the distance from the centre of Earth to the Moon, Nasa said in a statement.

It is expected to orbit near Earth again in the future.

In February 2013, a meteorite of a similar size exploded over Chelyabinsk in Central Russia, injuring more than 1,000 people.

Nasa currently tracks more than 11,000 asteroids in orbits that pass relatively close to Earth.