A house-size asteroid will make a close pass of Earth and the moon tonight (April 9), passing a little over half the distance to the moon as it buzzes the southern hemisphere at a blistering speed of 28,030 miles per hour (45,109 kilometers per hour).
The asteroid, designated 2026 GD, was discovered on Monday (April 6) and is estimated to be 16 meters (54 feet) in diameter. The solar system wanderer will make its closest approach to Earth at 6:59 p.m. (2259 GMT) on April 9, when it will pass 155,760 miles (250,000 km), or 0.65 lunar distances, while moving at 28,030 miles per hour (45,109 kilometers per hour).
