Meteor in Russia not part of asteroid flyby, JPL says

The meteor that created a shock wave when it entered Earth’s atmosphere early Friday is not connected to the asteroid that is slated to pass by the planet today, according to scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Hundreds of people were injured as a meteor, brighter than the sun, streaked over Russia Friday. The blast was caught on several homemade videos. The meteor was about 15 meters in diamter and weighed 7,000 tons before enetering Earth’s atmosphere, according to JPL.

Asteroid 2012 DA14, a rock expected to fly in a close distance over our planet around 11 a.m., is 150 meters in diameter.

Despite conflicting reports, JPL said in a statement that the asteroid is not related to the meteor that struck Russia.

Scientists have emphasized that there is no chance of the asteroid hitting Earth.

JPL will be offering live commentary of the asteroid flyby. The broadcast is available online at: www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2 and www.nasa.gov/ntv.

-- Tiffany Kelly, Times Community News

Follow Tiffany Kelly on Google+ and on Twitter @LATiffanyKelly.