Large asteroid zips past Earth

Monday, July 3, 2006; Posted: 9:17 a.m. EDT (13:17 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A huge asteroid whizzed by Earth early Monday, passing about 269,000 miles from the planet's surface -- slightly farther away than the moon.

More than three dozen asteroids have flown closer to Earth in the last few years, but scientists believe 2004 XP14 is among the largest.

The asteroid, discovered in 2004, is estimated to be as wide as a half-mile based on its brightness.

Late Sunday and early Monday, it was expected to be visible as a small moving dot to amateur sky watchers with good telescopes in North America and as a fainter object in Europe. Its closest approach was over the U.S. West Coast.

Scientists estimate 2004 XP14 will have 10 more close encounters with Earth over this century, none expected to pose a threat to the planet.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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amazing that that many miles is considered close

but shit, if something that big hit earth, i dont think many would have time to worry about global warming or eds political rants

Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall asleep
I don't want to miss a thing

It's all relative.

Maybe if you think of it in terms of 'if the asteroid where to pass the system five hours earlier, it would've hit the Earth' then it makes it closer. (It's just an example, I don't know if it would in fact happen in this case).