What on Earth was that? Mystery space object whizzes past our planet

A mystery object from space whizzed close by Earth today but scientists are somewhat stumped by what it was. The fast-moving entity only measured between 33 and 50 feet across so would not have caused devastation had it hit the planet. It made its closest pass at 12.46pm (GMT) streaking past just 76,000 miles away, which is a third of the distance to the Moon. Amateur astronomers were able to track it in the United States. The object was discovered by MIT's Linear survey on January 10 and astronomers are divided about what it is. Italian scientists, Ernesto Guido and Giovanni Sostero, said it might be a piece of space junk because its orbital period is nearly identical to the Earth's year. This would tally with a manmade rocket stage circling the Sun. (Daily Mail)