Posted: Sat, Jun 25, 2011, 10:23 AM ET (1423 GMT)
A small asteroid will pass close to the Earth on Monday but poses no impact risk, astronomers said this week. Asteroid 2011 MD will pass approximately 12,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface at about 9:30 am EDT (1330 GMT) Monday, JPL reported Friday. The recently-discovered asteroid is approximately 5 to 20 meters across and has no risk of hitting the Earth. An asteroid of that size with a predominantly rocky composition would likely burn up in the atmosphere even if it was on an impact trajectory.

Related Links:

•  SPACE.com article
•  Discovery.com article
•  NASA/JPL press release