List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2015 explained

Time of discovery of asteroids which came closer to Earth than the Moon in 2015
Other Years Caption: Years Below: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Below is the list of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2015.

Timeline of known close approaches less than one lunar distance from Earth in 2015

A list of known near-Earth asteroid close approaches less than 1 lunar distance (384,400 km or 0.00256 AU) from Earth in 2015.^[1]

Note this data does not include any of the 43 objects that collided with earth in 2015, none of which were discovered in advance, but were recorded by sensors designed to detect detonation of nuclear devices (of the 43 objects detected, 2 had an impact energy greater than that of a 1 kiloton device).^[2]

Date of closest approach	Date discovered	width=100	Object	width=205 data-sort-type="number"	Nominal geocentric distance (AU)^[3]	data-sort-type="number"	Nominal geocentric distance (LD)	data-sort-type="number"	Size (m) (approximate)	data-sort-type="number"	(H) (abs. mag)	Closer approach to Moon	width=120	Refs^[4] ^[5]
2015-01-14	2015-01-15		0.00105abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.41	6–13	28.1^[6]
2015-01-18	2015-01-27		0.0016abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.62	12–27	26.7^[7]	Yes
2015-01-20	2015-01-21		0.00108abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.42	4–9	28.9^[8]
2015-02-11	2015-02-12		0.00189abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.73	5–11	28.5^[9]
2015-02-17	2015-02-18		0.000262abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.10	2–5	30.4^[10]
2015-02-18	2015-02-19		0.000723abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.30	3–9	29.3^[11]
2015-03-10	2015-03-11		0.000835abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.32	10–32	26.7^[12]
2015-03-12	2015-03-11		0.000732abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.28	2–9	30.2^[13]
2015-03-16	2015-03-17		0.00255abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.99	2–4	31.0^[14]
2015-03-28	2015-03-25		0.00238abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.92	4–11	28.7^[15]
2015-04-12	2015-04-11	2015 GU	0.000739abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.29	5–11	28.4^[16]
2015-04-14	2015-04-16		0.0022abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.86	4–11	28.9^[17]	Yes
2015-04-16	2015-04-15		0.00124abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.48	4–9	28.8^[18]	Yes
2015-04-21	2015-04-18		0.000395abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.15	8–19	27.4^[19]
2015-05-15	2015-05-12		0.00208abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.81	6–13	28.1^[20]	Yes
2015-05-23	2015-05-25		0.00191abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.74	12–40	26.1^[21]
2015-06-08	2015-06-07	2015 LF	0.00132abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.51	10–35	26.6^[22]
2015-08-06	2015-08-07	2015 PK	0.000531abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.21	5–15	28.1^[23]
2015-09-22	2015-09-24		0.000178abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.069	3–14	28.9^[24]
2015-10-13	2015-10-11		0.000741abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.29	2^[25]	29.5^[26]
2015-10-22	2015-10-24		0.000871abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.34	7–16	27.8^[27]
2015-11-05	2015-11-07		0.00187abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.73	5–13	28.3^[28]	Yes
2015-11-06	2015-11-08		0.000671abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.26	2–4	30.6^[29]
2015-11-15	2015-11-14		0.000231abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.090	4–9	29.0^[30]
2015-11-20	2015-11-21		0.00153abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.60	1–5	30.1^[31]	Yes
2015-12-13	2015-12-16		0.000477abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.19	5–18	28.0^[32]
2015-12-15	2015-12-06		0.00193abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.75	8–25	27.1^[33]

Warning Times by Size

This sub-section visualises the warning times of the close approaches listed in the above table, depending on the size of the asteroid. The sizes of the charts show the relative sizes of the asteroids to scale. For comparison, the approximate size of a person is also shown. This is based the absolute magnitude of each asteroid, an approximate measure of size based on brightness.

Abs Magnitude 30 and greater (size of a person for comparison)Abs Magnitude 29-30Absolute Magnitude 28-29Absolute Magnitude 27-28Absolute Magnitude 26-27

Notes

Additional examples

An example list of near-Earth asteroids that passed more than 1 lunar distance (384,400 km or 0.00256 AU) from Earth in 2015.

• (~50 meters in diameter) passed 5.57 lunar distances from Earth on 18 January 2015.^[34]
• (~60 meters in diameter) passed 1.64 lunar distances from Earth (1.50 lunar distances from the Moon) on 20 January 2015.^[35]
• (~700 meters in diameter) passed 3.1 lunar distances (1.2 million km) from Earth on 26 January 2015.
• (~70 meters in diameter) passed 0.0197abbr=onNaNabbr=on from Earth on 15 February 2015.
• (~500 meters in diameter) passed 11.7 lunar distances (4 million km) from Earth on 2015 Mar 27.
• (~110 meters in diameter) passed 3.6 lunar distances (1.38 million km) (3.2 lunar distances from the Moon) (1.21 million km) on 1 April 2015.
• (~80 meters in diameter) passed 1.15 lunar distances (440,000 km) (1.08 lunar distances from the Moon) (410,000 km) on 7 July 2015.
• (~15 meters in diameter) passed 1.005 lunar distances (390,000 km) on 7 October 2015
• 2014 UR (~20 meters in diameter) passed 3.81 lunar distances (1.46 million km) from Earth on 18 October 2015.
• (~600 meters in diameter) passed 1.3 lunar distances (480,000 km) (0.74 lunar distances from the Moon) (286,000 km) on 31 October 2015.
• (~6 meters in diameter) passed 1.02 lunar distances (393,000 km) (0.85 lunar distances from the Moon) (327,000 km) on 24 November 2015
• Risk-listed asteroid (~60 meters in diameter) was not observed when it probably passed roughly 0.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on from Earth on 27 November 2015.
• 2015 YB initially calculated to make a close approach to Earth on 19 December 2015 turned out to be a much further away inner main-belt asteroid. On 31 December 2015 the asteroid received the designation .

Timeline of close approaches less than one Lunar distance from the Moon in 2015

The number of asteroids listed here are significantly less than those of asteroids approaching Earth for several reasons:

• Asteroids approaching Earth not only move faster, but are brighter and are easier to detect with modern surveys due to these factors
• Asteroids approaching closer to Earth are higher priority to confirm, and only confirmed asteroids are listed with a lunocentric approach distance
• Those which make close approaches to the Moon are frequently lost in its glare, making them harder to confirm, and are more easily discovered during the new Moon, when the Moon is too close to the Sun for any asteroids to be detected while they are near to the Moon anyway.

These factors combined severely limit the amount of Moon-approaching asteroids, to a level many times lower than the detected asteroids to pass just as close to Earth instead.

Date of closest approach	Object	Nominal lunocentric distance (AU)^[36]	Nominal lunocentric distance (LD)	data-sort-type="number"	Size (m) (approximate)	(H)	approach distance to Earth (LD)
2015-01-12		0.00212abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.82	7–22	27.5^[37]	1.43
2015-01-18		0.000824abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.32	10–31	26.7	0.62
2015-02-16		0.00179abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.69	2–5	30.4	0.10
2015-02-17		0.00166abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.65	3–9	29.3	0.30
2015-03-10	2015 ET	0.00146abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.57	10–32	26.7	0.32
2015-04-12	2015 GU	0.00159abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.62	5–11	28.4	0.29
2015-04-14		0.00103abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.40	4–11	28.9	0.86
2015-04-16		0.00112abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.44	4–9	28.8	0.48
2015-04-21		0.00186abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.72	8–19	27.4	0.15
2015-05-15		0.00196abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.76	6–13	28.1	0.81
2015-07-24		0.00228abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.89	6–18	27.9^[38]	1.48
2015-09-22		0.00245abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.95	3–14	28.9	0.069
2015-10-14		0.00143abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.56	3–9	29.5	0.29
2015-10-31		0.00191abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.74	600	20.0^[39]	1.27
2015-11-05		0.000758abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.29	5–13	28.3	0.73
2015-11-06		0.00188abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.73	2–4	30.6	0.26
2015-11-15		0.00197abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.77	4–9	29.0	0.090
2015-11-20		0.00115abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.45	1–5	30.1	0.60
2015-11-22		0.00218abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.85	3–11	29.0^[40]	1.02
2015-12-13	2015 YJ	0.00097abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.38	5–18	28.2	0.19
2015-12-14		0.0018abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.70	4–12	28.7^[41]	1.32
2015-12-21		0.00165abbr=onNaNabbr=on	0.64	5–17	28.0^[42]	1.45

Notes

See also

• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth
• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2014
• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2016

External links

• PIA19647: Asteroid 1999 JD6 (Radar imaged July 25, 2015)

Notes and References

1. For a list of current Earth close approaches see NEO Earth Close Approaches
2. https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/fireballs/ NASA.gov
3. Distance from the center of Earth to the center of the object. See the NASA/JPL Solar System Dynamics Glossary: Geocentric. Earth has a radius of approximately 6,400 km.
4. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser . JPL Solar System Dynamics . NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
5. Web site: MPC Database . IAU Minor Planet Center . International Astronomical Union . 1 January 2021.
6. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 AQ43) . last observation: 2015-01-23.
7. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 BP513) . last observation: 2015-01-29.
8. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 BE511) . last observation: 2015-01-28.
9. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 CH13) . last observation: 2015-02-14.
10. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 DD1) . last observation: 2015-02-25.
11. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 DQ224) . last observation: 2015-02-19.
12. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 ET) . last observation: 2015-03-25.
13. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 EO6) . last observation: 2015-03-11.
14. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 FU344) . last observation: 2015-03-18.
15. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 FM118) . last observation: 2015-03-28.
16. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 GU) . last observation: 2015-04-12.
17. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 HG182) . last observation: 2015-04-17.
18. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 GL13) . last observation: 2015-04-16.
19. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 HD1) . last observation: 2015-04-21.
20. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 JF1) . last observation: 2015-05-14.
21. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 KW121) . last observation: 2015-05-28.
22. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 LF) . last observation: 2015-06-08.
23. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 PK) . last observation: 2015-08-08.
24. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 SK7) . last observation: 2015-10-13.
25. Web site: Wall. Mike. 6-Foot Wide 'Bald' Asteroid Is Smallest Ever Studied. space.com. 3 December 2016.
26. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 TC25) . last observation: 2015-10-18.
27. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 UM52) . last observation: 2015-10-25.
28. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 VP64) . last observation: 2015-11-08.
29. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 VU64) . last observation: 2015-11-10.
30. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 VY105) . last observation: 2015-11-15.
31. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 WP2) . last observation: 2015-11-23.
32. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 YJ) . last observation: 2015-12-18.
33. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 XY261) . last observation: 2015-12-13.
34. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 AK1) . last observation: 2015-01-16.
35. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 BC) . last observation: 2015-01-17.
36. Distance from the center of the Moon to the center of the object. the Moon has a radius of approximately 1,740 km.
37. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 BY3) . last observation: 2015-01-23.
38. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 OQ21) . last observation: 2015-07-25.
39. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 TB145) . last observation: 2015-11-01.
40. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 VO142) . last observation: 2015-11-22.
41. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 XR169) . last observation: 2015-12-13.
42. Web site: JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2015 YQ1) . last observation: 2015-12-22.