Asteroid flyby this week one for the record books, NASA says

The asteroid will not only pass between Earth and the moon's orbit, but also fly lower than the ring of geosynchronous satellites.

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Miriam Kramer, SPACE.com

Fri, Feb 08 2013 at 10:01 AM

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NASA, Science, Space

Asteroid 2012 DA14 is about the size of half a football field. (Image: NASA)

An asteroid half the size of a football field will make a close approach to Earth, but poses no threat of smacking into the planet, NASA officials said on Feb. 7.

The asteroid 2012 DA14 will approach within 17,200 miles (27,680 kilometers) of Earth when it zips by during its close encounter next Friday, Feb. 15. That is the closest shave ever for an asteroid the size of 2012 DA14, which is about 150 feet (45 meters) wide, that astronomers have known about in advance, NASA scientists said.

The asteroid will not only pass between Earth and the moon's orbit, but also fly lower than the ring of geosynchronous communications, weather and navigation satellites that fly high above the planet. Asteroid 2012 DA14 will be 5,000 miles (8,046 km) closer to Earth than those satellites during the flyby.

"This asteroid seems to be passing in the sweet spot between the GPS satellites and weather and communications satellites," Don Yeomans, the head of NASA's asteroid-tracking program, told reporters in a teleconference on Feb. 7. "It's extremely unlikely that any of these will be impacted." [See Asteroid 2012 DA14's Close Flyby in Action (Video)]

Geosynchronous satellites typically orbit about 22,000 miles (35,800 km) above the Earth's equator.

Record-setting space rock flyby

Asteroid 2012 DA14's close encounter is also a record-breaking celestial event, Yeomans said. An object this large only passes this close to the Earth about once every 40 years, and likely only hits the planet once every 1,200 years, he added.

Amateur astronomers have already captured some photos of asteroid 2012 DA14, and NASA plans to make detailed radar observations of the space rock to learn about its composition, spin and surface features, the scientists said.

The asteroid is similar in size to the object that exploded over Siberia, Russia, in 1908 in the Tunguska event. That explosion leveled hundreds of square miles of land, scientists said. While asteroid 2012 DA14 could potential create such destruction if it struck the Earth, there is absolutely no chance of an impact for the foreseeable future, NASA officials said.

"This asteroid's orbit is so well known that we can say with confidence that even considering its orbital uncertainties, it can pass no closer than 17,100 miles from the Earth's surface," Yeomans said. "No Earth impact is possible."

NASA scientists used advanced modeling techniques to map out the path of the asteroid with exact precision, and ground-based telescopes tracked 2012 DA14 since the asteroid's discovery last year by amateur astronomers. Researchers plan to keep tabs on the asteroid after it makes its closest approach to Earth somewhere over Indonesia at 2:24 p.m. ET (1924 GMT), Yeomans said.

Asteroid under radar

Asteroid 2012 DA14 also marks the first time scientists have had the chance to observe the close flyby of a near-Earth object of this size. That makes the asteroid a unique opportunity for scientists to study the space rocks floating around the solar system, but that doesn't mean observations will be easy, NASA scientist Lindley Johnson said. [Asteroid 2012 DA14's Earth Flyby Explained (Infographic)]

Some ground-based telescopes will be turned toward the asteroid as it shoots by, but the instruments won't catch sight of the asteroid until after it comes inside the orbits of geosynchronous satellites, Johnson said.

Those post-flyby observations are still useful, however. Scientists are hoping to get a sense of what 2012 DA14 is composed of as well as any helpful clues about its structure and how it compares to the structure of other space rocks.

"You can only collect this data when the asteroids are significantly close to the Earth," Amy Mainzer, a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. said.

NASA astronomers and scientists around the world, meanwhile, regularly monitor the night sky for signs of previously unknown asteroids that may pose a potential impact threat to Earth. Yeomans runs NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., to keep track of potentially dangerous asteroids.

Although 2012 DA14 will be too dark to see with the naked eye as if flies by Earth, amateur astronomers with backyard telescopes could potentially catch a glimpse of asteroid as it makes its way across the sky, if they know when and where to look.

It will be extremely difficult, however, because of the asteroid's speed, which will make it appear as a fast-moving pinpoint of light in the night sky, NASA scientists said.

NASA officials also announced that they will be streaming the flyby live the night of Feb. 15. A telescope at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. will broadcast its view of the event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET (2200 to 200 Feb. 16 GMT).

You can follow SPACE.com's complete coverage of asteroid 2012 DA14 flyby here.

Follow Miriam Kramer on Twitter @mirikramer or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

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Comment: 1

Paul Felix Schott Feb 09 2013 at 11:45 AM

A DAY WILL COME SOON ENOUGH ALL THAT EVER LIVED ON EARTH WILL SOON HAVE THEIR EYES TO THE HEAVENS Do a little History on this one. ALL Should Look Up "2012 DA14". This could take out one of more satellites and the junk and debris from the hit could end up taking out many more satellites very soon after that. All the satellite collision probability will go way up if even one is hit. The velocity that the parts would go to would make them missiles that would start targeting a chain reaction

.... More

this would not be good. Most all will be watching this one and pray it goes by us without a hit. Every Scientist alive will be watching this event. Many will be in Florida for a very special viewing of the once in a Lifetime Event. Professors, Scientist, World Leaders, Ham Radio Operators and Every Astronomer will have its eyes on This Event, along with almost every TV set on Earth. "2012 DA14" goes by Earth twice a year and there is no way anyone for sure, can tell how close the second pass will be till it passes by the Moon and Earth and the GRAVITATIONAL FORCE effect that it will have on this Asteroid. They may come close but this one is already coming very close to begin with. Too close this time or on its second or 3rd pass? Ad a Meteor Shower like the 13 and 14 of December of 2012, it might go through or bump into one of them? Or all the other more then 20,00 pieces of orbital debris like Spent Rocket Boosters left in space that can no longer be moved by a control center on Earth. Or add a Solar Flare. Or a Comet ISON or its tail debris of millions of rocks of all sizes. Not to for get the 30,000+ pieces of space junk left from China in 2007 from showing the world it could shoot a decommissioned weather satellite in Space. Now add Asteroid 2013 BV15 into this on the 13 &14 of Feb 2013.. Feb will have 12 of them from the 12 to the 16. If a big enough Asteroid were to slam into the moon in the night sky you would think the sun was coming up early only it would be 5 to 7 times as bright. From The Sun's Rays Reflection on all the Debris Field. 2012 XM16, 2012 XM55, 2012 XP55, THERE ARE OVER 25 found just in the year 2012 that are part of the Near Earth Object Program that will come close to Earth from now till 2012 DA14 comes, Feb 14 - 16, 2013. You do not want to know how many are on the "PLANETARY DEFENSE" list. The PLANETARY DEFENSE is not to protect Earth from men from Mars. It is for all mankind with most all Nation in on it to stop if can most all collision with EARTH from a ASTEROID IMPACT. It is if you will a AVOIDANCE SHIELD. "N.E.O.S. Near Earth Object Shield". If only one were to hit or IMPACT EARTH on land get ready for a winter you will never forget. The winter from 1883 -1884 KRAKATOA you will think was a little pebble, and now the stone comes. Krakatoa was a great mountain till it erupted with fire and a blast heard thousands of miles away that cast that Great Mountain into the sea. The Shock Waves were felt around the Globe. The sea was full of Bodies from the Tsunamis more then 35,000 of them, the sea stayed red for weeks. 1884 was a year without a summer as the year 1816 was and many world wide Froze to Death. A Shock Wave was felt in England from a Event about 7:15 to 7:20 A.M. Siberia time in the morning in June of the year 1908 high in the sky above the Forest in the remote wilderness of Tunguska Siberia heard an explosion that laid flat more than 800 square miles of the forest with all the trees pointing away from the center of the blast with most all the trees laying on their side. Some trees that were right below the blast were still there looking like telephone poles with no bark or branches left on them. This Asteroid did not even hit the Ground and this is known by most as the TUNGUSKA EVENT. For all that lived there it was WORMWOOD Rev 8:11 the wood became full of worms and the rivers water no longer sweet and undrinkable. If a Meteor Shower is big enough you might think all the Stars are falling from Heaven. About one every 100 years makes it into the Earth’s Atmosphere big enough for all to take note. Some make it to the surface the signs are all over the Planet and moon from the ones that have. If you need a visual sign of a collided impact with a planet look to "SHOEMAKER - LEVY 9" July 1994. You Need More Look up "PROJECT WORMWOOD" Revelations 8: 10 - 11 based on the "TUNGUSKA EVENT" 1908 MOSCOW Russia is now saying it will use missiles to intercept Asteroid if need be. Better to be safe then sorry. GET READY Read your Bible While you still can, and May our Lord GOD Bless all that do so. John 14 : 6 Luke 13 : 27 Matthew 7 : 20 - 27 Matthew 12:39 Matthew 24:3 - 14 The Lord's Little Helper. Paul Felix Schott. December 2013 the Heavens above COMET "C/2012 S1", "ISON". The day will come when ALL ON EARTH WILL SEE THIS NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE. the night side of earth will become day and and day will be blinding bright. The Bow Shock from the Photo Electric Effect from the Sun's Solar Wind will really be something. Shortly there after you will think the stars are falling from the Heavens, REV 6:13, REV 16:21 most will be between 60 to 80 pounds that will make it to the ground surface. Nonstop 12 to 14 hours at a time for two days. P.S. Help others in are Lord's name Jesus Christ help bring all to know him while you still can. Three kings that were wise men once flowed a star with a long tail 2,000 years ago. That lead them to Jesus Christ wise men still look to and hear are Lord Jesus Christ.

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