Asteroid the size of the Golden Gate Bridge in Buzz by Earth

An asteroid almost as large as the Golden Gate Bridge is expected to fly over Earth later this month.

It will be the largest and fastest asteroid to pass through our space this year, but it won’t get close enough to cause major concern.

The asteroid – 2001 FO32 – is smaller than the last large one about a year ago to make a close pass, but it will be three times closer and much, much faster, NASA said in a statement.

It is about 1,300 to 2,230 feet wide and is expected to pass through Earth – albeit 1.25 million kilometers away – on March 21. The exceptionally fast rock will travel 77,000 mph (or 21 miles per second).

It’s actually close enough to be officially considered a “near-earth” asteroid that should provide scientists with a good glimpse of a piece of rock that existed at the dawn of the universe.

“This is the closest planned approach in 2021 for any medium-sized asteroid, where ‘moderately large’ means at least several hundred feet in size,” Paul Chodas, director of the Center for Near- Earth Object Studies.

Fans of outer space might just glimpse the zoom with a backyard telescope.

Observers using telescopes 8 inches or larger might be able to detect the asteroid zipping in front of the stars, according to EarthSky.