"The closest observed asteroid yet to skim past the Earth without hitting the atmosphere, was reported by astronomers on Sunday." Asteroid 2004 FU162 "streaked across the sky just 6500 kilometres - roughly the radius of the Earth - above the ground on 31 March... The previous record for the closest asteroid approach to Earth was set on 18 March by an object called 2004 FH which missed the Earth by about 40,000 kilometres."