[meteorite-list] NASA Scientists Talk About Asteroids Passing Near Earth Wednesday

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 2010 13:24:37 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201009072024.o87KOb3S023499_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

Sep. 07, 2010

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
dwayne.c.brown at nasa.gov

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
agle at jpl.nasa.gov


MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-128

NASA SCIENTISTS TALK ABOUT ASTEROIDS PASSING NEAR EARTH WEDNESDAY

WASHINGTON -- Two asteroids will pass within the moon's distance from
Earth on Wednesday, Sept. 8. NASA scientists will be available for
satellite interviews Tuesday, Sept. 7, and Wednesday morning to
discuss these near- Earth objects.

The Catalina Sky Survey near Tucson, Ariz., discovered both objects on
Sunday, Sept. 5. The Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Mass.,
reviewed the observations and determined the preliminary orbits. The
center's personnel concluded both objects would pass within the
distance of the moon to Earth, approximately 240,000 miles. The
asteroids should be visible with moderate-sized amateur telescopes.

Neither asteroid will hit Earth. Asteroid 2010 RX30 is estimated to be
approximately 32 to 65 feet in size and will pass within
approximately 154,000 miles of Earth at 5:51 a.m. EDT Wednesday. The
second object, 2010 RF12, estimated to be 20 to 46 feet in size, will
pass within approximately 49,000 miles at 5:12 p.m. EDT.

NASA scientists are available for interviews about the asteroids via
NASA Television, Skype or telephone. TV producers can call
818-393-5467 to schedule afternoon interviews and 202-358-1726 to
schedule morning interviews. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and
streaming video information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov
        
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Received on Tue 07 Sep 2010 04:24:37 PM PDT