These were the discovery images of 2012 SY49 taken 9-23-12 at my backyard observatory Sandlot. I originally designated this object as lb3720. I sent the data to the MPC and they put the object on the NEO Confirmation Page. After 2 nights of followup by a few observatories in New Mexico, Arizona, and Indiana, the MPC put out an electronic circular announcing 2012 SY49 as a NEO.
Soon after NASA’s Sentry (JPL) proclaimed it to be a Virtual Impactor. 2012 SY49 can come as close as 20,000 miles above the earth’s surface. This pass it will be a comfortable 2-3 lunar distances. The object is estimated to b only about 25-30 meters in diameter but at 36,000 per hour if it did impact it would carry a 8 megaton wallop.
Gary