Buzzed by 2022 WM7

[PMSchu]

Did you feel the breeze?

The CNEOS website indicates that the newly discovered NEO 2022 WM7 made a close approach on 2022-Nov-28 02:24 ± < 00:01 UT at a distance of 0.204 LD (78.55k km, 0.00053 AU). H=29.9 magnitude, V relative=11.58 km/sec, 'Rarity' = 0, Condition Code = 6.  This MP was discovered at Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2022-11-26.

Using MPC's elements for November 28, 2022 00:00 UT, ST4v predicts that this MP reached a peak brightness of 16.9 magnitude on November 27 at 1930 EST when the NEO was moving through Aquarius at 17"/sec at 1098.5k km distance. Close approach (to the nearest 10 minutes) was predicted to occur on November 27 at 2120 EST (0220 UT) when 2022 WM7 at 18.3 magnitude was moving through Sagittarius at 29.3"/sec, 79.52k km distant, but below the horizon as seen from Columbus, Ohio.  By 2022 Nov 28 11:00 EST it had already faded to 22.6 magnitude & slowed to 43"/min. ST4v predicted that it was not observable with a 13" telescope even at its best.

This was a small one, estimated to be 1-6 meters.

Phil S.

[bigmasterdrago]

It was cloudy here and this small rock from space was simply screaming near my yard at ~1/2°/minute at a distance of 78,462Km just below my SW horizon also. Six meters would definitely make a cool light show if it would have skimmed the upper atmosphere. Thanks for the heads up.

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I've got to add that this little rock fooling around in our neighborhood really got its orbital butt kicked in terms of Semi-major Axis, Eccentricity and inclination.

[PMSchu]

Well that'll teach it to come 'round buzzing us! It's lucky that we we didn't give it the Dimorphos treatment. Of course it did sneak up on us  .

Phil S.