On this day in space! Oct. 31, 2015: Creepy skull-shaped Halloween asteroid flies by Earth, NASA names it the 'Great Pumpkin'

On October 31, 2015, an asteroid shaped like a human skull flew by Earth. It arrived with excellent timing on Halloween, which made the already-creepy asteroid even creepier. During its closest approach, the creepy asteroid was about 300,000 miles from Earth, or 1.3 times the average distance between Earth and the moon . So, it didn't pose a threat to our pl

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  1. Discovery and Physical Characteristics: Asteroid 2015 TB145 was discovered by the Pan-STARRS observatory only three weeks before its close approach to Earth. Radar imaging from the Arecibo Observatory provided the first visual evidence of its distinct, human skull-like appearance, leading NASA to nickname it the 'Great Pumpkin.'
  2. Monitoring Near-Earth Objects (NEOs): While 2015 TB145 passed safely at approximately 1.3 times the lunar distance, it underscored the importance of NASA's 'Spaceguard' program in cataloging and predicting potential threats. The incident serves as a reminder that large objects can still be detected on relatively short notice, emphasizing the need for robust asteroid observation networks.

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