Asteroid Flying By Earth Could Be Half-Kilometer Wide | Orbit Animation

On Jan. 26th, 2015, Asteroid 2004 BL86 will become the largest known space rock to fly this close to Earth (nearest approach = ~745,000 miles). Unless another asteroid of its size or bigger is discovered, it will hold the record until 2027, when asteroid 1999 AN10 makes a close approach.

Asteroid 2004 BL86 will sail by at a distance three times greater than the Moon.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ mash mix: Space.com