A asteroid shot past the good ole Earth by a mere 72,000 kilometers (44,750 miles) acording to the Planetary Society and other news outlets. Labled as 2009 DD45, it is estimated to be about 21(68 feet) to 47 meters (152 feet) in size.
This size of an asteroid is thought to be nearly the same size as the one scientists think exploded above Tunguska, Siberia, on June 30, 1908. The end result of that encounter was the flattening of 80 million trees covering 800 square miles (or 2,000 square kilometers). That explosion in 1908 was the equileviant of 1000 atomic bombs.
2009 DD45 was spotted last Saturday (February 28, 2009) by astronomers at the Siding Spring Survey in Australia, and it was verified by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Centre (MPC). This is the organization that catalogues Solar System rocks.
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Ref. "Space rock gives Earth a close shave" http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.783c3aae6eb418393fc6f8c443ef6765.2f1&show_article=1
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