Injuries from Russian Meteor Pass 1,000; NASA News Conference at 4:00 pm ET Today

Russian media sources are reporting that the number of people injured by today's meteor impact near Chelyabinsk is more than 1,000 and windows were shattered in about 300 buildings.

NASA will hold a media teleconference today, February 15, at 4:00 pm ET to discuss the Russian meteor, which scientists say was completely unrelated to asteroid 2012 DA14 which passed by Earth harmlessly at 2:25 pm ET this afternoon.  Asteroids are rocks that remain in space.   If they enter Earth's atmosphere they become meteors.  Any pieces that reach the ground are meteorites.

Panelists for the NASA teleconference at 4:00 pm ET are Paul Chodas, JPL, and Bill Cooke, Marshall Space Flight Center.   It will be streamed live at http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio.