2005 NB56

2005 NB₅₆, also written as 2005 NB56, is a near-Earth object.^[1] This small body has been suggested as a possible source of the Tunguska event on June 30, 1908.^[2]

Controversial study

One study "suggests that a chunk of a comet caused the 5-10 megaton fireball, bouncing off the atmosphere and back into orbit around the sun."^[2]

This object made a close approach to Earth when it was discovered in 2005 and will do so again in 2045.^[3] This object has a poorly known orbit and was only observed over an observation arc of 17 days.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2005 NB56)". 2005-07-28 last obs. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2005NB56. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
2. ^ ^{a b} When Comets Attack: Solving the Mystery of the Biggest Natural Explosion in Modern History, By Mark Anderson, Popular Mechanics
3. ^ "NEODys 2005NB56". Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, ITALY. http://newton.dm.unipi.it/neodys/index.php?pc=1.1.8&n=2005NB56. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 

External links

• Orbital simulation from JPL (Java) / Ephemeris