May 20, 2013
Where To Watch
Want to watch the asteroid this afternoon, but the sun is still shining? Here are a couple links that have a camera on this massive rock. A number of the links come with very good commentary before and after the event:
NasaTv
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Italy
Canary Islands (west coast of Africa)
In the spirit of Valentine's, a 150-foot-wide asteroid will move in for a quick kiss of Earth's orbit at a record setting and very intimate distance. Splitting the Earth and our satellites at only 17,200 miles, Asteroid 2012DA14 will be the closest asteroid of this size to approach Earth since 1971. Additionally, this will be the first time astronomers have detected such a close approach in advance. Prior to the technology, we wouldn't know about an asteroid passing until after the fact.
Want To Learn More?
Be sure to check out the World of Weather video to help put this approach in perspective. Below is some additional information...
Can You See It:
For the amateur backyard observer located in the United States you won’t be able to see it. We need a night sky and that is pretty tough to obtain at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Africa, Asia, Europe and a good portion of Australia will be in position to see the asteroid with the closest approach to Earth happening above the eastern Indian Ocean.
Time:
2:24pm eastern
Distance:
17,200 Miles
Size:
Roughly half of a football field.
Speed:
5 miles per second or 18,000 mph
