Scientists insist that a meteor that crashed in Russia had nothing to do with an asteroid that flew by Earth on Friday.
With a sonic boom, the 10-ton meteor exploded over Russia's Ural Mountains, breaking windows, blowing out doors and sending hundreds of people to the hospital.
"So people were curious about this bright light, went to their windows to look out and then the sonic boom hit and shattered those windows. So, a lot of those injuries came from glass," said Tellus Science Museum astronomer David Dundee.
Dundee says it's just a cosmic coincidence that the meteor crash and the asteroid passing happened within 14 hours of each other.
"We know for sure the two objects were not related. They're coming from different items," said Dundee.
Folks gathered in the Cartersville museum's theatre on Friday to watch a live feed of the second celestial event of the day, the passing of 2012 DA14 -- a 150-foot asteroid that came within 17,000 miles of earth.
"Early this morning, my mother offered to take me to see the asteroid. And I thought it would be very fun. And wouldn't you know, it was," said Jake Vaccaro.
Dundee says it's the closest an asteroid has come to Earth in recorded history.
"This asteroid passed 1/13th of the distance between the Earth and the moon. So, that's really, really close," Dundee said.
If an asteroid were to come a little too close for comfort, Dundee says Hollywood had it all wrong.
"We have technology now to be able to nudge them; you don't want to explode them like the Bruce Willis movies," Dundee said.
NASA had high tech radar trained on the asteroid as it passed earth. The hope is to one day be able to mine asteroids for water and precious metals.
Sunday, May 26 2013 10:23 PM EDT2013-05-27 02:23:33 GMT
Newly hired Rutgers University Athletic Director Julie Hermann was hired less than two weeks ago to clean up the athletic department after the university fired its men's basketball coach
Newly hired Rutgers University Athletic Director Julie Hermann was hired less than two weeks ago to clean up the athletic department after the university fired its men's basketball coach
Sunday, May 26 2013 9:17 PM EDT2013-05-27 01:17:18 GMT
Gov. Christie plans to speak with Rutgers officials about a report that the woman hired to clean up the scandal-scarred athletic program quit as Tennessee's women's volleyball coach because of abuse
Gov. Christie plans to speak with Rutgers officials about a report that the woman hired to clean up the scandal-scarred athletic program quit as Tennessee's women's volleyball coach because of abuse
Sunday, May 26 2013 9:11 PM EDT2013-05-27 01:11:26 GMT
The Town of Huntington held its annual Memorial Day wreath ceremony Sunday honoring those who fought and died for freedom. The ceremony took place on the front lawn of the town hall.
The Town of Huntington held its annual Memorial Day wreath ceremony Sunday honoring those who fought and died for freedom. The ceremony took place on the front lawn of the town hall.
Sunday, May 26 2013 8:44 PM EDT2013-05-27 00:44:36 GMT
New Rochelle police say a man wielding a knife was shot and killed by officers in his apartment Sunday afternoon. Authorities say they received a call about an emotionally disturbed man around 4:00 p.m.
New Rochelle police say a man wielding a knife was shot and killed by officers in his apartment Sunday afternoon. Authorities say they received a call about an emotionally disturbed man around 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 26 2013 8:01 PM EDT2013-05-27 00:01:40 GMT
Sunday was not the type of weather most had hoped for this Memorial Day weekend, but it was certainly better than Saturday's weather. The sun decided to shine and temperatures warmed up enough
Sunday was not the type of weather most had hoped for this Memorial Day weekend, but it was certainly better than Saturday's weather. The sun decided to shine and temperatures warmed up enough for people to head outside
Sunday, May 26 2013 5:18 PM EDT2013-05-26 21:18:04 GMT
The Tunnel to Towers foundation sent two vans Sunday morning to Moore, Oklahoma, which was ravaged by a tornado last week, with work gear and other supplies.
The Tunnel to Towers foundation sent two vans Sunday morning to Moore, Oklahoma, which was ravaged by a tornado last week, with work gear and other supplies.
Sunday, May 26 2013 4:52 PM EDT2013-05-26 20:52:56 GMT
Suffolk County police say an 82-year-old woman was killed in a single car crash early Sunday morning. Authorities say Vera Quashie was driving her Hyundai around 12:15 a.m. on Route 109
Suffolk County police say an 82-year-old woman was killed in a single car crash early Sunday morning. Authorities say Vera Quashie was driving her Hyundai around 12:15 a.m. on Route 109
Sunday, May 26 2013 4:22 PM EDT2013-05-26 20:22:27 GMT
Police say a woman died when she was hit by a vehicle on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn early Sunday morning.
Police say a woman died when she was hit by a vehicle on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn early Sunday morning. The accident happened shortly after midnight when the 53-year-old victim was walking in the left lane
Sunday, May 26 2013 3:52 PM EDT2013-05-26 19:52:23 GMT
Through much of the last century, New York built America's locomotives, automobile parts, steel girders and more through three shifts a day. Today, the state is next to last on CEOs' list of states to set up shop.
Through much of the last century, New York built America's locomotives, automobile parts, steel girders and more through three shifts a day. Today, the Empire State is next to last on CEOs' list of states to set up shop
Sunday, May 26 2013 12:09 PM EDT2013-05-26 16:09:07 GMT
The state Attorney General's Office will reportedly pay $325,000 to a former state police trooper to settle claims he was mistreated after warning that the division was failing to properly keep track of its...
The state Attorney General's Office will reportedly pay $325,000 to a former state police trooper to settle claims he was mistreated after warning that the division was failing to properly keep track of its thousands of...
