Scientists more fully realize the danger of near-Earth asteroids that cross Earth`s orbit and could impact the planet. 2012 DA14 is a such an asteroid with an estimated diameter of 30 meters (98 feet) and an estimated mass of 40,000 metric tons. It swept safely past Earth on February 15, 2013. At its closest to us, asteroid 2012 DA14 was within the orbit of the moon (which averages about a quarter million miles away), and closer than some of our high-orbiting communications satellites. Its closest point was about 17,200 miles (27,680 kilometers) away. Only 20 mile-wide asteroid 2023 BU, much smaller than 2012 DA14, passed closer to Earth at a distance of about 2,200 miles. As far as we know, these were the closest approaches of any space objects that did not actually crash into Earth. The next close approach of 2012 DA14 will be on February 15, 2046 when it will pass about 0.0148 AU (2,210,000 km; 1,380,000 mi) from Earth.
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