An image of the 2012 DA14 asteroid shows its approach to Earth, as it was seen yesterday, at 465,000 miles (728,000 kilometers).
The image was created by observations from the Faulkes Telescope South in Siding Springs, Australia.
Source: NASA
Scientists will use a radar to study the 2012 DA14 asteroid, as it flies past the Earth tonight, to learn about its structure and composition.
They hope to use the information to help them plan in the event of another incoming space rock.
Video source: NASA
Scientists are looking at ways to 'nudge' an asteroid if it was a threat to Earth, as blowing it up would only result in debris falling to Earth, they said.
Tonight an asteroid will approach Earth, passing closer than ever before.
Scientists have said it will be possible to see the asteroid as it flies past the Earth tonight.
It will appear as a faint dot of light, moving at a "steady rate" between the stars.
– Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular AstronomyIt'll be thousands of times fainter than Jupiter and 250 times fainter than the stars of the Plough.
The trick will be to find the area in advance and wait for it to come through. You can use the star maps to find exactly the right part of the sky. If you hold your binoculars steady you will see this tiny point of light crawling across your field of view in about seven or eight minutes.
It's not easy, but you will have the thrill of knowing you are seeing a little object in space the size of an office block.
An asteroid will fly past the Earth tonight, entering the orbit of telecommunication and weather satellites.
This image shows the asteroid's movements, looking down from above Earth's north pole.
This image shows why the asteroid will not be visible to the northern hemisphere's observers, until very close to the Earth, because it is approaching from "underneath" the planet.
An asteroid big enough to destroy London will narrowly miss the Earth as it flies past tonight, according to NASA.
The 150ft-wide rock has no chance of hitting the Earth scientists say, but it will enter the orbits of more than 100 telecommunication and weather satellites, just over 17,000 miles away from the planet.
It is thought it will reach its nearest point to Earth at 7.30pm (GMT) tonight.
The asteroid, 2012 DA14, was discovered by a spanish observatory a year ago.
A 45 metre-long asteroid is set to pass closer to the Earth than any other near miss on record, according to NASA.
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