Asteroid 2012 DA14 to intrude inside earth's communication satellite orbit - next day of Valentine Day

Breaking news for those whose hobby is astronomy and sky gazing!!

While the world be celebrating the Valentine Day, astronomers and sciencetists would be busy tracking asteroid 2012 DA14 which is to whiz past earth at a distance of 17,200 miles on 15th February- something which is a near miss in space terms.

It may be added that the communication satellites launched from earth orbit at a distance of 22,200 miles above earth - meaning by that the asteroid 2012 DA14 will have an ingress of some 5,000 miles from the communication satellite's orbital range.

Although the asteroid is small, if it were on a collision course with Earth, it would produce the equivalent of 2.5 megatons of TNT and could wipe out a city the size of Greater London.

The best view for astronomers will be from Indonesia, says NASA, while stargazers in Eastern Europe, Asia and Australia should also be able to get a good look at the space rock as it whizzes past us at a speed of 17,400mph.

The asteroid's next very close shave with Earth will be in 2046, when it will squeak by us at a distance of 37,000 miles.

Via Mail Online
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