An asteroid will safely pass about three times the distance of Earth to the Moon on January 26, according to NASA. From its reflected brightness, astronomers estimate that the asteroid, designated 2004 BL86, is about 0.5 kilometres in size. The flyby of 2004 BL86 will be the closest by any known space rock this large until asteroid 1999 AN10 flies past Earth in 2027, NASA said. At the time of its closest approach on January 26, the asteroid will be approximately 1.2 million kilometres from Earth.
