This is indeed a remarkably close approach for an asteroid this size. We estimate that an asteroid of this size passes this close to the Earth only once every few decades.Paul Chodas, research scientist for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory • Speaking on DA14, a 150-foot wide asteroid which is expected to make the closest flyby of the planet Earth on record. Estimated for 2:24 PM EST on February 15th, the asteroid will pass us, cosmically speaking, by a razor-thin margin – it’ll be ten times closer to Earth than the orbit of the Moon. Researchers assure there won’t be a collision, however – the asteroid will pass over the Indian Ocean, near Sumatra. source
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