Is there any danger that Cruithne will hit the Earth?
No. The relationship between the Earth and Cruithne, particularly the asteroid’s high (20 degrees) inclination, helps avoid a collision. Though Cruithne is unlikely to remain stable in its current orbit indefinitely, the possibility of a collision over at least the next ten thousand years is nil. For more information on the possibility of impacts on the Earth, see • the Spaceguard Foundation • the NASA impact hazards page • Are there many other near-Earth asteroids/comets around? As of Feb 2000, there are over 1000 known objects with orbits that pass close to that of the Earth. Currently, none of these are known to be on a collision course with our planet. However, it is estimated that there are tens of thousands of objects over 100 meters across that cross the Earth’s orbit. Despite this fact, many astronomers looking for these objects are facing serious budget cuts in these hard economic times. For more information on searches for near-Earth objects, see • the Spacewatch Project • Wi
