Coast astronomers brace for massive asteroid

A "CITY-killer'' asteroid, packing the explosive punch of 2.9 megatonnes of dynamite, will pass over the Gold Coast his week, but don't panic -- it's not due to hit the Earth for at least another 67 years.

The 180,000-tonne asteroid, which is up to 90m long and named 2012 DA14, was discovered last year, and will pass a record-breakingly close distance of 27,700km from our planet's surface on Saturday.

Gold Coast astronomers are ready to capture images of the mammoth rock for NASA.
Springbrook Research Observatory director of observation Andre Clayden said if their photography efforts were successful, the feat could promote the Gold Coast as a science hub.
"We will be doing live streaming for NASA, weather permitting,'' he said.

"It's more a challenge to be able to capture it.
"These opportunities don't come around every week.
"We love the pressure, let's get onto it.''
The astronomer said he had already fielded calls from people worried of the implications of the event on the Earth and said people should not worry.

"All the doom-sayers have jumped on it,'' he said.
"The 2012 DA14 is one of the largest asteroids of its size to come this close to Earth.''
NASA has rated the asteroid's passing at a zero on the Torino Scale, which uses a range of data to assess the likelihood of an object to impact the Earth.

"The likelihood of a collision is zero, or is so low as to be effectively zero,'' their website said this week.
Mr Clayden said people were likely to need a telescope wider than 12 inches to be able to see the asteroid but they could watch a streaming of the event online.

"I see asteroids on a nightly basis but this one is significant because it's quite close,'' he said.
"This will be a good opportunity for people to go out and have a little look.''

To find asteroid 2012 DA14, experts have recommended people look below the Southern Cross at about 4.30am onwards.