Catalina Sky Survey Tops 2005 NEO Discoveries

When it comes to finding asteroids or comets that swing too close to home, the Catalina Sky Survey is currently Earth's best defense.

The Catalina Sky Survey discovered more near-Earth objects (NEOs) than any other sky survey in 2005. That includes more NEOs larger than a kilometer in diameter, as well as more smaller objects that potentially threaten Earth.

CSS astronomers discovered 310 NEOs, or 49 percent of all NEOs discovered in 2005. That's a record-breaking number of discoveries for any NEO survey, ever.

Of these, 29 objects are at least a kilometer across, and 40 are classified "potentially hazardous asteroids," objects large enough and close enough to Earth to bear watching. All other Spaceguard surveys found a total 46 potentially hazardous asteroids last year...

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