- An asteroid as large as a skyscraper is set to pass within 1.7 million miles of Earth on Friday.
- Despite its size, there’s no risk of impact, as it will be seven times the distance from Earth to the moon.
- NASA estimates the asteroid’s size to be between 690 feet and 1,575 feet, comparable to New York City’s Empire State Building or Chicago’s Willis Tower.
An asteroid as big as a skyscraper will pass within 1.7 million miles of Earth on Friday.
Don’t worry: There’s no chance of it hitting us since it will pass seven times the distance from Earth to the moon.
NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies estimates the space rock is between 690 feet and 1,575 feet across.
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That means the asteroid could be similar in size to New York City’s Empire State Building or Chicago’s Willis Tower.
This image provided by the Virtual Telescope Project shows a single 180-second exposure asteroid that was seen approaching Earth on Jan. 31, 2024. The asteroid is expected to pass within 1.7 million miles of Earth on Friday. (Virtual Telescope Project via AP)
Discovered in 2008, the asteroid is designated as 2008 OS7. It won’t be back our way again until 2032, but it will be a much more distant encounter, staying 45 million miles away.
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The harmless flyby is one of several encounters this week. Three much smaller asteroids also will harmlessly buzz Earth on Friday, no more than tens of yards across, with another two on Saturday. On Sunday, an asteroid roughly half the size of 2008 0S7 will swing by, staying 4.5 million miles away.