NASA to Broadcast Asteroid Flyby of Earth   
       
   Feb. 13, 2013:  NASA Television will provide commentary starting at 2 p.m. EST   
   (11 a.m. PST) on Friday, Feb. 15, during the close, but safe, flyby of a small   
   near-Earth asteroid named "2012 DA14." NASA places a high priority on tracking   
   asteroids and protecting our home planet from them. This flyby will provide a   
   unique opportunity for researchers to study a near-Earth object up close.   
       
   The half-hour broadcast from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in   
   Pasadena, Calif., will incorporate real-time animation to show the location of   
   the asteroid in relation to Earth, along with live or near real-time views of   
   the asteroid from observatories in Australia, weather permitting.   
       
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwidzVHvbGI   
       
   A NASA video depicts the record-setting flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14. Also, in   
   a related blog, Bill Cooke of the Marshall Space Flight Center answers the   
   question "Can I see the Upcoming Asteroid Flyby?"   
       
   At the time of its closest approach to Earth at approximately 2:25 p.m. EST   
   (11:25 a.m. PST/ 19:25 UTC), the asteroid will be about 17,150 miles (27,600   
   kilometers) above Earth's surface. Measuring approximately 50 meters wide,   
   2012 DA14 is about half the size of a football field. Since regular sky   
   surveys began in the 1990s, astronomers have never seen an object this big   
   come so close to our planet. The asteroid will actually pass closer to Earth   
   than many manmade satellites.   
       
   The commentary will be available via NASA TV and streamed live online at   
   http://www.nasa.gov/ntv and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2   
       
   In addition to the commentary, near real-time imagery of the asteroid's flyby   
   before and after closest approach, made available to NASA by astronomers in   
   Australia and Europe, weather permitting, will be streamed beginning at about   
   noon EST (9 a.m. PST) and continuing through the afternoon at ht   
   p://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2   
       
   Also, a Ustream feed of the flyby from a telescope at NASA's Marshall Space   
   Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will be streamed for three hours starting   
   at 9 p.m. EST (8 p.m. CST). To view the feed and ask researchers questions   
   about the flyby via Twitter, visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-msfc   
       
   For more information, including graphics and animations showing the flyby of   
   2012 DA14, visit www.nasa.gov/asteroidflyby   
       
       
   Production editor: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA   
       
       
   Regards,   
       
   Roger   
      
   --- D'Bridge 3.9   
    * Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LoUiSiAna (1:3828/7)