The 2016 TB57 asteroid will come closest to Earth on Oct. 31

The 15,000th near-Earth asteroid is designated 2016 TB57. It was discovered on Oct. 13 by observers at the Mount Lemmon Survey, an element of the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Arizona. 2016 TB57 is a rather small asteroid -- about 50 to 115 feet (16 to 36 meters) in size -- that will come closest to Earth on Oct. 31 at just beyond five times the distance of the moon. It will safely pass Earth.

The 15,000th near-Earth asteroid discovered is designated 2016 TB57. Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The number of discovered near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) now tops 15,000, with an average of 30 new discoveries added each week.

This milestone marks a 50 percent increase in the number of known NEAs since 2013, when discoveries reached 10,000 in August of that year. (NASA)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Massive Lava Waves Detected on Solar System’s Most Volcanically Active Object

Io is the closest thing we have to hell in our Solar System, a Jovian moon that features hundreds of active volcanoes and expansive lakes filled with lava.

GOES-R heads to orbit, will improve weather forecasting

GOES-R, the first of NOAA’s highly advanced geostationary weather satellites, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 6:42 p.m. on November 19.

NuSTAR Helps Find Universe's Brightest Pulsars

There's a new record holder for brightest pulsar ever found -- and astronomers are still trying to figure out how it can shine so brightly.

Is the Global Crisis Triggering Basic Instincts?

Frustration and economic uncertainty related to the start of the worldwide crisis may have had unexpected results. In 2007-2008, the population growth rate of the Czech Republic almost tripled, that of the Netherlands doubled, and the Swiss and the French rates showed solid increases. When the crisis got deeper the trend changed in some countries but population growth remained solid in others.

Half of mental health disorders arise in adolescence

Half of mental health disorders arise before the age of 14, but most cases are not detected or treated until much later, according to the latest data from the World Health Organization.

Sharks, the seagrass protectors

Sharks defend seagrasses from overgrazing by dugongs, sea turtles, other species.