The asteroid 2012 DA14 will fly extremely close to Earth on Friday, Feb. 15, but poses no risk of impacting our planet. It may, however, be visible in backyard telescopes if you know when and where to look, but will be a stargazing challenge, NASA says.
Discovered last year, asteroid 2012 DA14 is about half the size of a football field and will approach within 17,200 miles (27,680 kilometers) of Earth when it flies by during its close encounter.
Update, Saturday, Feb. 16: Asteroid 2012 DA14 has completed its flyby of Earth and is now headed away from our planet to continue along its orbit around the sun. See our complete coverage of the event below.
Multimedia:
Asteroid 2012 DA14 Photos: Earth Flyby of Feb. 15, 2013
See images and photos for the Feb. 15, 2013 flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14.
Close Approach of Asteroid 2012 DA14 - Fear vs. Fact (Video)
Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office, gives SPACE.com exclusive insight on the space rock that will come between us and the moon on February 15th, 2013.
NEOs: Near Earth Objects - The Video Show
Close encounters of extraterrestrial objects seen on and above Earth, coming from asteroids and meteors.
5 Reasons to Care About Friday's Asteroid Flyby
The 2012 DA14 asteroid set to fly close by Earth on Friday may not threaten us, but it can teach us.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 FAQ: Everything You Need to Know for Earth Flyby Friday
This Friday (Feb. 15), the asteroid 2012 DA14 will fly by Earth in an unprecedented close approach. Here are some frequently asked questions (and answers) for the asteroid flyby.
Asteroid Basics: A Space Rock Quiz
Latest News:
Friday, Feb. 15
Record-Setting Asteroid Flyby: First Photos
An asteroid half the size of a football field gave Earth a historically close shave today (Feb. 15), and the first photos of the space rock encounter are starting to trickle in.
Asteroid Buzzes Earth in Record-Breaking Flyby
An asteroid half the size of a football field buzzed Earth in a historic flyby today (Feb. 15), barely missing our planet just hours after a much smaller object exploded above Russia, injuring perhaps 1,000 people.
Asteroid's Near Miss Captured By Gingin Observatory
2012 DA14 - Close Approach Seen By Murrumbateman Observatory
Asteroid DA14 Seen From Australia
What Are an Asteroid, a Meteor and a Meteorite? (LiveScience)
The terms asteroid, meteor, meteorite and meteoroid get tossed around recklessly, especially when two of them threaten the Earth on the same day. Here's a quick explainer.
US House Committee to Hold Hearing on Asteroid Risk
The U.S. House of Representative's Science, Space, and Technology Committee announced today (Feb. 15) it will hold a hearing in the coming weeks on how to deal with asteroids that pose a potential threat to Earth.
Today's Asteroid Flyby a Wakeup Call, Scientists Say
Today's super-close asteroid flyby should be a wakeup call, spurring humanity to keep better track of the millions of space rocks whizzing through Earth's neighborhood, some scientists say.
NASA Will Fire Radar at Asteroid During Close Flyby Today
When the asteroid 2012 DA14 zooms by Earth today (Feb. 15), some astronomers won't be waiting for it to give up its information. Instead, they will be aggressively pinging it with ground-based radar.
Asteroid Gives Earth Record-Setting Close Shave Today: How to Watch Online
The clocking is ticking down to the close shave of asteroid 2012 DA14 today. The 150-foot asteroid will make a historic close approach for an object of its size, coming within 17,200 miles of Earth.
Thursday, Feb. 14
Asteroid Flyby Webcasts: Watch 2012 DA14 Buzz Earth Live Here Friday
The asteroid 2012 DA14 will give Earth an extremely close shave Friday, Feb. 15. Here is how you can watch the record-setting asteroid flyby on SPACE.com.
Video: Space Mining Company Says Friday's Asteroid Worth $195 Billion
Deep Space Industries says the materials in a nearby asteroid are worth $195 billion, a number some say stretches the truth.
Asteroid 2012 DA14: 5 Surprising Facts About Friday's Earth Flyby
The historic flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14 on Friday (Feb. 15) marks the first time scientists have had the chance to observe a close grazing of Earth by such a big space rock. Here are five interesting facts about the flyby.
Asteroid 2012 DA14's Friday Flyby: A Stargazer's Guide Asteroid 2012 DA14's Friday Flyby: A Stargazer's Guide " href="http://www.space.com/19759-asteroid-2012-da14-flyby-observing-tips.html">
How to give yourself the best chance to see asteroid 2012 DA14's historic close approach this Friday
Friday Flyby: How Scientists Track Near-Earth Asteroids Friday Flyby: How Scientists Track Near-Earth Asteroids " href="http://www.space.com/19770-scientist-track-near-earth-asteroid.html">
Scientists use optical telescopes and radar to examine space rocks whizzing by our planet.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 - What Its Path Will Look Like (Video )Asteroid 2012 DA14 - What Its Path Will Look Like (Video " href="http://www.space.com/19765-asteroid-2012-da14-what-its-path-will-look-like-video-simulation.html">
Gianluca Masi, from the Virtual Telescope observing site in Italy, created this visualization of the nearest approach to Earth of the space rock. The motion of the asteroid is sped up 50 times. Created using TheSkyX Pro from Software Bisque.
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Earth-Buzzing Asteroid Worth $195 Billion, Space Miners Say Earth-Buzzing Asteroid Worth $195 Billion, Space Miners Say " href="http://www.space.com/19758-asteroid-worth-billions-2012-da14-flyby.html">
The space rock set to give Earth a historically close shave this Friday (Feb. 15) may be worth nearly $200 billion, prospective asteroid miners say.
What Would Happen if Asteroid 2012 DA14 Hit Earth? What Would Happen if Asteroid 2012 DA14 Hit Earth? " href="http://www.space.com/19741-asteroid-2012-da14-earth-impact-effects.html">
There is absolutely no chance that asteroid 2012 DA14 will hit Earth when it makes its closest approach on Friday (Feb. 15), but many other asteroids like it have made a crash landing on the planet in the past. Here is what could happen if an asteroid its size hit Earth.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 FAQ: Everything You Need to Know for Earth Flyby Friday Asteroid 2012 DA14 FAQ: Everything You Need to Know for Earth Flyby Friday " href="http://www.space.com/19733-asteroid-2012-da14-earth-flyby-faq.html">
This Friday (Feb. 15), the asteroid 2012 DA14 will fly by Earth in an unprecedented close approach. Here are some frequently asked questions (and answers) for the asteroid flyby.
Tunguska Lessons: What If Friday's Asteroid Hit Earth Tunguska Lessons: What If Friday's Asteroid Hit Earth " href="http://www.space.com/19745-flyby-asteroid-da14-tunguska.html">
An asteroid set to buzz Earth on Friday is not unlike a space rock that actually entered the atmosphere not much more than a century ago.
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150-Foot Asteroid Has Close Encounter with Earth This Week 150-Foot Asteroid Has Close Encounter with Earth This Week " href="http://www.space.com/19729-asteroid-2012-da14-earth-close-shave.html">
The asteroid 2012 DA14 will give Earth a record-setting close shave on Friday (Feb. 15). The asteroid won't hit Earth, but gives scientists an unprecedented chance to study a near-Earth asteroid.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 Misses Satellites (and Earth) - Fortunately! Asteroid 2012 DA14 Misses Satellites (and Earth) - Fortunately! " href="http://www.space.com/19724-asteroid-2012-da14-misses-satellites-and-earth-fortunately-new-animation.html">
See how orbit of 150-foot-wide asteroid space rock takes it within 17,200 miles of Earth at its closest approach on February 15th, 2013.
Asteroid Flyby Next Week One for the Record Books, NASA Says Asteroid Flyby Next Week One for the Record Books, NASA Says " href="http://www.space.com/19686-asteroid-2012-da14-earth-flyby-nasa.html">
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.
How Asteroid 2012 DA14 Will Give Earth Close Shave: Infographic How Asteroid 2012 DA14 Will Give Earth Close Shave: Infographic " href="http://www.space.com/19669-asteroid-2012-da14-earth-flyby-explained-infographic.html">
On Feb. 15, 2013, the 150-foot asteroid 2012 DA14 will fly past Earth at an altitude of 17,200 miles - closer than our own communications satellites. See how asteroid 2012 DA14 will give Earth an extremely close shave in this SPACE.com infographic.
NASA Discusses Asteroid 2012 DA14 Earth Flyby Today: How to Watch Live NASA Discusses Asteroid 2012 DA14 Earth Flyby Today: How to Watch Live " href="http://www.space.com/19675-asteroid-2012-da14-flyby-nasa-webcast.html">
NASA scientists will discuss the upcoming close Earth flyby of the mid-size asteroid 2012 DA14 today (Feb. 7), and you can follow the presentation live online.
Next Week's Asteroid Flyby Shows Earth is in 'Cosmic Shooting Gallery' Next Week's Asteroid Flyby Shows Earth is in 'Cosmic Shooting Gallery' " href="http://www.space.com/19653-asteroid-2012-da14-earth-impact-threat.html">
Asteroid 2012 DA14 is just one of many asteroids in space, most of which have yet to be discovered, its discoverers say. The asteroid will fly extremely close to Earth on Feb. 15.
Asteroid's Alarmingly Close Flight Path Depicted In Animation (Video)
Asteroid 2012 DA14 will makes its closest approach to Earth on February 15th, 2013. The 131-foot space rock will come withing 17.200 miles of Earth, closer than geosynchronous satellites.
Earth Safe from Asteroid's Close Flyby Next Week
2012 DA14 will not hit the planet on Feb. 15, though it will give us a historically close shave.
Asteroid to Give Earth Record-Setting Close Shave on Feb. 15
An asteroid half the size of a football field will pass Earth on Feb. 15 from 17,200 miles away.
Asteroid Will Fly Within 18,000 Miles Of Earth (Video)
On February 15, 2013, asteroid DA14's nearest approach will be 17,200 miles. It is about half the size of a football field and similar in size to the asteroid that leveled 100 square miles of forest in Siberia in 1908 (Tungunska Event).
Mid-Size Asteroid Won't Hit Earth in 2013, NASA Says
2012 DA 14 will come uncomfortably close next year, but it won't strike our planet.
Why Asteroid Panic Is On the Rise
Misinformation about asteroid 2012 DA14 sparked unnecessary panic this week.
Asteroid Will Fly Closer Than Satellites (Video)
A 164 feet long asteroid (2012 DA14) was discovered by an amateur team at the La Sagra Sky Survey observatory in Spain. The space rock's estimated Earth-like orbit predicts it may fly-by in February 2013 – closer than Geosynchronous satellites.
More Asteroid Resources:
Photos: Asteroids in Deep Space
The 7 Strangest Asteroids in the Solar System
5 Reasons to Care About Asteroids
Asteroids: Formation, Discovery and Exploration
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