2014 EC

2014 EC is a 10-meter sized, eccentric asteroid, classified as near-Earth object of the Apollo group that passed within 48,000 miles (77,000 km) of Earth in early March 2014. This was six times closer to the Earth than the Moon.^[4][5] It was first observed on 5 March 2014, by the Catalina Sky Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, United States. As of 2017, it has not since been observed.^[2]

2014 EC has only been observed on two nights for a period of less than 48 hours, with a remaining orbital uncertainty of 4 and 6 respectively.^[1][2] It orbits the Sun at a distance of 0.7–2.2 AU once every 21 months (644 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.53 and an inclination of 1° with respect to the ecliptic.^[1]

The asteroid has an Earth minimum orbital intersection distance of 0.0005 AU (74,800 km) which translates into less than 0.2 lunar distances.^[1]

Based on a generic magnitude-to diameter conversion, 2014 EC measures 7 meters in diameter, for a measured absolute magnitude of 28.2 and an assumed albedo of 0.2, which is typical value for stony S-type asteroids.^[3] Other sources estimated the body to be approximately 10 meters or 30 feet across.^[4] It is too small for being a potentially hazardous asteroid, which require an absolute magnitude of 22.0 or less.^[6]

• List of asteroid close approaches to Earth in 2014

• Small Asteroid Will Pass Earth Safely on Thursday (NASA)
• http://www.space.com/24968-small-asteroid-2014ec-earth-close-shave.html
• 2014 EC at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
  • Ephemerides · Observation prediction · Orbital info · MOID · Proper elements · Observational info · Close approaches · Physical info · Orbit animation
• 2014 EC at ESA–space situational awareness
  • Ephemerides · Observations · Orbit · Physical properties · Summary
• 2014 EC at the JPL Small-Body Database
  • Close approach · Discovery · Ephemeris · Orbit viewer · Orbit parameters · Physical parameters