On April 19, be sure to wave to asteroid 2014 JO25 as it slips past Earth. NASA tells us not to worry, since it's scheduled to pass at a safe distance. So far, we know it's about 2,000 feet (650 meters) in size and twice as reflective as the moon. NASA released a video on Thursday showing the asteroid's path in relation to Earth.
Though asteroids zip past Earth all the time, 2014 JO25 is noteworthy for the combination of its size and the nearness of its trajectory to our planet. It will come within around 1.1 million miles (1.8 million kilometers), which is plenty safe and not quite as exhilarating as asteroid 2017 GM. That space rock passed Earth earlier this week at a distance of a mere 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) and was about the size of a car.
Astronomers will be training their telescopes on the visitor. This will be your best chance to say hello since it will be 2014 JO25's closest approach to Earth for 500 years. NASA isn't expecting another asteroid of this size and closeness until 2027.