11:49 AM
Jalal Hameed
While a tiny meteorite weighing 10 tens that crashed in central Russia Friday left over 1,000 injured and shattering and destroying buildings partly, the 150 feet 130,000 ton asteroid 2012 DA14 skirted earth at a distance of 17,000 miles and went by without any damage.
The Asteroid 2012 DA14 was capable of destroying a London sized city had it landed on earth.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 closest approach, passing within 17,000 miles (27,357 kilometers), which is closer than some satellites, was at 7.25 pm, GMT.
The flyby occurred just hours after a much smaller meteor exploded above Russia's Ural Mountains.
Astronomers say the two events were coincidental, and the objects were traveling in opposite directions.
The asteroid delighted astronomers in Australia and elsewhere who watched it zip harmlessly through a clear night sky.
'It's on its way out,' reported Paul Chodas of NASA.
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