Asteroid alert: Space rock to zip past Earth today, will be closer than geostationary satellites

Asteroid collision with Earth - US space agency NASA has said that an asteroid will fly past the Earth on Thursday which would be just 28,254 km from the Earth's surface. 

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The asteroid named 2020 SW is around 15 to 30 feet wide, the NASA scientists said, which is roughly the size of a small bus.

The rock which was discovered just last week will continue on its journey around the Sun and wouldn't return to the Earth's atmosphere before 2041, scientists said.

According to EarthSky, the asteroid is so small that the Earth's gravity is expected to change the rock's course when it goes past the Earth. However, it will be a close call as it will pass just 7 per cent of the Moon’s distance and will be passing closer than geostationary satellites which are placed 35,888 km from our planet’s surface. 

However, EarthSky said that "there is no risk of impact." The rocks is expected to be at its closet when it passes over Australia or New Zealand.

However, there is bad news for stargazers as it won't be visible through the naked eye but can be viewed through a 6 or 8-inch diameter telescope and is likely to increase in brightness as it approaches the Earth.

"The space rock is currently in the constellation of Pegasus the Flying Horse, and will then move to the constellation of Pisces the Fish," EarthSky said.