Purdue professor weighs in on asteroid
Posted: Feb 15, 2013 12:37 AM EST | Updated: Nov 5, 2014 6:51 PM EST
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- An asteroid will fly by earth Friday in what amounts to an astronomical drive-by.
The asteroid is expected to be about the size of a football field and will zoom past earth at over 17,000 miles per hour.
Scientists from Purdue are weighing and say it is nothing to worry about.
"So we're in an era now when we have good enough observing programs that we can see asteroids that might hit the earth long before they approach," said Professor Jay Melosh, Purdue University.
It is one of the closest drive-bys earth has seen in quite a while.
