An asteroid the size of a skyscraper is predicted by astronomers to pass within 1.7 million miles of Earth on Friday.

Since it will pass seven times the distance from Earth to the moon, there is no chance that it will hit.

NASA calculates that the space rock has a diameter of between 1,575 and 690 feet.

This suggests that the asteroid may have a size comparable to the Empire State Building in New York City or the Willis Tower in Chicago. 2008 saw the discovery of the asteroid.

It won’t return until 2032, and when it does, it will be 45 million miles away, making for a far more remote rendezvous.
Rest assured: since it will pass seven times the distance from Earth to the moon, there is no chance that it will hit.

According to NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, the space rock has a diameter of between 210 and 480 meters (690 and 1,575 feet). This suggests that the asteroid may have a size comparable to the Empire State Building in New York City or the Willis Tower in Chicago.

The asteroid, named 2008 OS7, was discovered in 2008. It will not come back our way until 2032, and when it does, it will be 45 million miles (72 million kilometers) away.

This week has seen a number of contacts, including the benign flyover. On Friday, two other far smaller asteroids—no larger than tens of yards (meters) across—will pass by Earth without causing any harm. An asteroid approximately half the size of 2008 0S7 will pass by on Sunday, with a distance of 4.5 million miles (7.3 million kilometers).

The Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute provides support to the Associated Press Health and Science Department.