An asteroid the size of a large skyscraper is zipping past Earth around Halloween at a relatively close distance of just over 2 million kilometers, according to NASA estimates.

The celestial body, designated 2022 RM4, was detected last weekend and is considered “potentially hazardous” due to its parameters – which are between 330 and 740 meters (1082 to 2427 feet). Its closest approach to Earth on November 1 will make it about 2.3 million kilometers (1.4 miles) away, roughly six times more than the average distance to the Moon.

The US space agency flags as potential threats all asteroids that come within some 7.5 million kilometers (4.6 miles) and measure at least 140 meters (459 feet). Such objects are tracked by many astronomers to check if their orbits were calculated correctly.

[link to www.rt.com (secure)]