Skyscraper-size asteroid will buzz Earth on February 2
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — 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 (210 meters and 480 meters) across. That means the asteroid could be similar in size to New York City’s Empire State Building or Chicago’s Willis Tower.
Article continues after this advertisementDiscovered 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 (72 million kilometers) away.
READ: Earth is safe from ‘hazardous’ asteroid thought to hit in 2068 – NASA
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 (meters) across, with another two on Saturday, February 3.
Article continues after this advertisementOn Sunday, an asteroid roughly half the size of 2008 0S7 will swing by, staying 4.5 million miles (7.3 million kilometers) away.
