Asteroid Misses Earth By A Whisker

DENVER -- In astronomical terms, the asteroid that passed by Earth at 10 miles a second early Monday missed by a whisker.

The half-mile-wide space rock that hurtled by was only 268,624 miles from Earth. That's about the distance of the moon to the Earth, scientists said, and close enough to be called a near miss.

"(The asteroid) would probably be big enough to wipe out a small country," said Dr. David Asher of the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland.

Scientists said if it were just a bit larger, it could have been capable of wiping out most life on Earth, if it had hit.

The object known as 2004 XP1 was continually monitored as it made a close approach to Earth and sped past.

Scientists estimated that the asteroid will have 10 more close encounters with Earth over this century, none of which will pose a threat.

Another asteroid will pass close enough to Earth that it will be seen with the naked eye, but it won't arrive until Friday, April 13, 2029. It will be within the geosychronos orbit of some satellites.