Asteroid the size of a football field whizzes alarmingly close by Earth

A graphic shows the orbit of the 2018 GE3 asteroid. Wikimedia Commons/Tomruen A graphic shows the orbit of the 2018 GE3 asteroid. Wikimedia Commons/Tomruen Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Tomruen Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Tomruen Image 1 of / 57 Caption Close Asteroid the size of a football field whizzes alarmingly close by Earth 1 / 57 Back to Gallery

An asteroid known as 2018 GE3 soared relatively close — by cosmic standards — past Earth early Sunday morning just hours after being spotted by astronomers.

From end to end, the rocky body measured an estimated 157 to 361 feet; the larger approximation is the length of a football field.

It was about 119,500 miles away from Earth — for comparison the moon is 250,000 miles away — when it passed by at its closest point at about at about 2:41 a.m. Eastern time.

Gerald McKeegan, the adjunct astronomer at Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, says the asteroid was at a safe distance from Earth and adds that asteroids coming this close to Earth aren't unusual.

"Each month, several asteroids pass the Earth at distances closer than the Moon. In fact, 2018 GE3 was the 27th known asteroid so far in 2018 to come closer than the Moon. Most of these were small asteroids, less than 30 meters (100 feet) in size," McKeegan wrote in an email. "Asteroids that small will most likely burn up or break up if they were to enter our atmosphere."

What makes 2018 GE3 unique is its larger size. "Should an asteroid that size enter the Earth's atmosphere, it would remain largely intact until it hit the ground," he wrote. "That would be a very destructive event, causing significant damage over an area of several hundred square miles."

Astronomers with the Catalina Sky Survey at the University of Arizona were the first to observe the asteroid.

In 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteor came within 20 meters of Earth. Upon entering the atmosphere, the rock exploded, sending small fragments to the ground and breaking windows and injuring dozens.

GALLERY: Other asteroids have left bigger impressions on Earth both literally and figuratively. Here's a look at some of the most significant:

GALLERY: Asteroids and meteors we have known

In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru a meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. A meteor streaked across the sky of Russia's Ural Mountains on Friday morning, causing sharp explosions and reportedly injuring around 100 people, including many hurt by broken glass. In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru a meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. A meteor streaked across the sky of Russia's Ural Mountains on Friday morning, causing sharp explosions and reportedly injuring around 100 people, including many hurt by broken glass. less GALLERY: Asteroids and meteors we have known

In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru a meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. A meteor streaked across the sky of Russia's Ural In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru a meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. A meteor streaked across the sky of Russia's Ural ... more Photo: Photo/Chelyabinsk.ru Photo: Photo/Chelyabinsk.ru Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close Asteroids and meteors we have known 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

If exploring the final frontier is your kind of thing, NASA has created the Asteroid Data Hunter app that helps amateur astronomers spot asteroids, sometimes even before the professionals.