Asteroid to hit earth in Feb. 2013

I'm not a proponent of the whole 2012 scenario. However, scientists at NASA announced today that an asteroid measuring close to 200 ft. across, height and density are anyone's guess. This incoming object will pass within .007AU from the earth, closer 15-20 times closer than the moon, closer than the space station, and even closer than many of our satellites. I checked the JPL (jet propulsion lab) data personally, and the orbit of the asteroid shows it well see for yourself.

This was the CNN report.

March 4, 2012 – A possible catastrophe is in the making as Asteroid 2012 DA14 which is 197 feet or 60 meters has a good chance of impacting Earth between February 15-16, 2013. It was spotted by Spanish Stargazers in February of this year and now scientist are trying to figure out a way to defend Earth from a possible catastrophe. NASA’s David Dunham says: “The asteroid may split into pieces entering the atmosphere. In this case, most parts of it will never reach the planet’s surface.” If the asteroid does hit the Earth scientist believe the impact will be similar to the Tunguska blast, which in 1908 knocked down trees over a total area of 2,150 sq km (830 sq miles) in Siberia.
The Earth distance of object 2012 DA14 on the JPL chart has dropped to a negative on February 16, 2013, indicating an impact scenario has likely occurred.

Now for those of you unfamiliar with the Tunguska event:

In the early morning of June 30, 1908 in the Tunguska river valley of Siberia, an earthshaking event so powerful occurred that it was felt over 1000 miles away in London. The Tunguska event or Tunguska blast still has scientists searching for answers today.

The massive explosion, blast, or shock wave was so powerful that is leveled or flattened over 100 million plus trees in an area covering over 850 sure miles.

The cause of the 1908 event or blast is thought to be an explosion occurring in the air ( 3-6 miles above the earth's surface) from either a meteor or a comet. The estimated power of this air burst is calculated to be between 10-15 megatons, or 1000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Think about that for a moment, if it had the power of 1000 hiroshimas what would this do if it hit it a metropolitan area with a dense population. Unfortunately with only 11 months until it arrives there isn't really time for us to do anything to stop it. So, hopefully it will hit in a region as barren as Tunguska or hit a desert, or antartica.