RUSSIA HIT BY FRAGMENT OF ASTEROID 2012 DA14
This thing is awful close. Hold onto your asses!
LINK TO JPL MODEL OF 2012 DA14
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2012%20DA14;orb=1
2012 DA14 is a near-Earth asteroid with an estimated diameter of 50 meters (160 ft) and an estimated mass of 190,000 metric tons.[4] It was discovered on February 23, 2012, by the Observatorio AstronĂ³mico de La Sagra, Granada in Spain (J75)[1] seven days after passing 0.0174 AU (2,600,000 km; 1,620,000 mi) from Earth.[3] Calculations show that on February 15, 2013, the distance between the asteroid and the center-point of Earth will be 0.0002276 AU (34,050 km; 21,160 mi).[3] The asteroid will pass 27,700 km (17,200 mi) from the surface of Earth.[2] This is a record close approach for a known object of this size.[2]
It is heading toward Earth at 17,450 miles per hour, according to NASA, and the tug of our planet’s gravitational field will cause it to accelerate when it gets here.
But it’s not going to strike us, when it passes by on February 15. NASA is adamant about this.
“Its orbit is very well-known,” said Dr. Don Yeomans, NASA specialist for near-Earth objects. “We know exactly where it’s going to go, and it cannot hit the Earth.”
But it will give the Blue Planet the closest shave by any object its size in known history, Yeomans said. Gravity will cause it to fly a curved path, tugging it closer to Earth’s surface than most GPS or television satellites.
Asteroid to fly between Earth, moon
The Number: Hazardous asteroids
While the asteroid is moving at a good clip, space rockets have to accelerate to an even higher speed to escape Earth’s gravity and make it into space. Though 2012 DA14 will be flying more slowly, its trajectory will keep it from falling to Earth.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/05/world/space-asteroid/index.html


