It’s nearly time for the close approach of asteroid 2012 DA14, so here’s a handy FAQ to help answer all your questions.
Is it going to hit Earth?
Come on, it’s not like the U.S. government would really tell us if it were.
Ok, maybe you’re right. But this asteroid was found by Spanish astronomers, not American ones.
How big is it?
Decently sized, about 45 meters across. It’s longer than the distance I’d bet on Shayne Graham hitting a game-winning field goal from.
How close will it get?
Pretty darn close, about 17,200 miles away from the surface of the Earth. It will miss colliding with Earth, in other words, by about 15 minutes. This excellent video below from AGI puts the closeness of the collision into more perspective. This is a record close approach for a known asteroid of this size.
When is the closest approach?
Approximately 1:25 p.m. CT on Friday. If it were nighttime here you could see it with binoculars, but it will probably be too faint to observe after the sun sets. If the Earth is still around at that point, that is. (<evil laugh>MUAHAHAHAHA!</evil laugh>)
How bad would it be if it hit Earth?
Pretty bad but far from causing a planet-wide catastrophe. The event would likely be similar in magnitude to the June 1908 Tunguska event, which flattened 800 square miles of trees in Siberia. It’s estimated this rock, if it hit a city, would flatten an area of about 1,200 square miles. The city of Houston is 627 square miles in extent.
Are there a lot of these rocks out there?
Yep. Scientists estimate there are about 100,000 asteroids of a similar size that cross Earth’s orbit.
How long before one hits?
It’s estimated that, on average, a rock of this size impacts Earth about every 800 years.
Can we blame this on global warming?
No. But that didn’t stop a CNN anchor from asking Bill Nye the question. Oy.
Should Katy evacuate?
Oh, heaven’s yes.