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Skyscraper-Size Asteroid Will Buzz Earth on Friday, Safely Passing Within 1.7 Million Miles 

This image provided by Virtual Telescope Project out of Italy shows a single 180-second exposure asteroid that was approaching Earth, about 4 million kilometers. (Virtual Telescope Project via AP)
This image provided by Virtual Telescope Project out of Italy shows a single 180-second exposure asteroid that was approaching Earth, about 4 million kilometers. (Virtual Telescope Project via AP)
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Skyscraper-Size Asteroid Will Buzz Earth on Friday, Safely Passing Within 1.7 Million Miles 

This image provided by Virtual Telescope Project out of Italy shows a single 180-second exposure asteroid that was approaching Earth, about 4 million kilometers. (Virtual Telescope Project via AP)
This image provided by Virtual Telescope Project out of Italy shows a single 180-second exposure asteroid that was approaching Earth, about 4 million kilometers. (Virtual Telescope Project via AP)

An asteroid as big as a skyscraper will pass within 1.7 million miles of Earth on Friday.

Don’t worry: There’s no chance of it hitting us since it will pass seven times the distance from Earth to the moon.

NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies estimates the space rock is between 690 feet and 1,575 feet (210 meters and 480 meters) across. That means the asteroid could be similar in size to New York City’s Empire State Building or Chicago’s Willis Tower.

Discovered in 2008, the asteroid is designated as 2008 OS7. It won’t be back our way again until 2032, but it will be a much more distant encounter, staying 45 million miles (72 million kilometers) away.

The harmless flyby is one of several encounters this week. Three much smaller asteroids also will harmlessly buzz Earth on Friday, no more than tens of yards (meters) across, with another two on Saturday. On Sunday, an asteroid roughly half the size of 2008 0S7 will swing by, staying 4.5 million miles (7.3 million kilometers) away.

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Solar Becomes Europe's Main Energy Source in June

Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File
Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File
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Solar Becomes Europe's Main Energy Source in June

Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File
Solar had never before been Europe's top energy source, consultants say. Damien MEYER / AFP/File

Solar power became the European Union's biggest single energy source for the first time in June, an energy think tank said Thursday.

The Ember group that researches the clean energy transition said that 22.1 percent of Europe's power in June came from solar panels, reported AFP.

That came ahead of nuclear power on 21.8 percent and wind turbines on 15.8 percent, according to the British-based institution. Gas accounted for 14.4 percent and hydropower 12.8 percent.

Ember said that at least 13 countries beat their national record for solar power production.

Wind power production also hit a new record for Europe and coal has never accounted for such a low proportion of Europe's electricity output -- Ember estimated it at 6.1 percent across the continent, down from 8.8 percent in 2024.

But with demand for electricity rising, the use of coal in the first half of 2025 was still higher than the same period in 2024, Ember said. Electricity demand in the first six months was more than two percent higher than last year.