Large asteroid to come close to earth today
15 Feb 2013
An asteroid big enough to flatten London will narrowly miss the earth today, according to scientists.
Experts believe the chances of the 150 ft-wide space rock hitting the planet were nil, but it could come as close as 17,200 miles, in the orbits of over 100 telecommunication and weather satellites.
The asteroid, 2012 DA14, as it has been called, has been followed closely after it was discovered by a Spanish observatory a year ago.
It is expected to reach closest to earth at around around 7.30 pm UK time today.
Sky watchers would be able to see the asteroid in the north-eastern sky from anywhere in the UK.
According to Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, it would be possible to see it if people knew where to look, but they would not see it by just waving their binoculars in the right direction.
