A large, harmless asteroid will zip past Earth tonight

<p>A large asteroid will zip past Earth this weekend, but don't worry: It poses no danger.</p> <p>The space rock — 1997 NC1 — makes its closest approach Saturday evening (approx 11.15pm NZT), coming within 2.6 million kilometres according to the European Space Agency.</p> <p>Discovered nearly three decades ago by an asteroid-tracking system in Hawaii, the asteroid is between 0.75km to 1.65km wide — roughly the size of two to four Empire State Buildings.</p> <p>Skygazers with binoculars and small telescopes may be able to spot the asteroid as a small point of light passing harmlessly through the sky. It won't greet Earth from such a distance again until 2133, according to NASA.</p> <p>The last time an asteroid similar in size passed safely by Earth from an even closer distance was in 2022, when a space rock called 1994 PC1 made its approach.</p> <p>NASA, ESA and other space agencies track the paths of asteroids and other space junk so they can keep Earth safe from any possible collisions. Last year, astronomers tracked a smaller asteroid resembling a spinning hockey puck and said there's no chance of it hitting Earth or the moon.</p>