Asteroid To Pass Near Earth Overnight

A NASA image of the asteroid "2005 YU55"

A 400-meter-diameter asteroid is expected to pass closer to Earth than the moon overnight on November 8-9, giving scientists a rare chance for study without launching a probe into space.

NASA scientists who have plotted the course of the asteroid -- named "2005 YU 55" -- predict the object will miss hitting the Earth by about 320,000 kilometers.

It is the closest an asteroid of its size has ever come to the Earth when scientists knew about the event in advance.

compiled from agency reports