WASHINGTON: March 18: A 30-metre asteroid was expected to pass just 43,000 kilometres above the earth's surface on Thursday (Friday morning in Pakistan) , the closest encounter ever recorded, the US space agency said.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said there was no danger of collision with the Earth during the flyby. The asteroid's closest approach would come on Thursday at 2208 GMT (3.08am pst on Friday) over the southern Atlantic Ocean, it said.

The asteroid, designated FH 2004, should be visible with binoculars or small telescopes in most of Europe, Asia and the Southern Hemisphere, scientists said. FH 2004 will be the closest flyby on record, beating the small rock dubbed2003 SQ222 that passed 88,000 kilometres above earth in September.

Rocks of that size fly by earth every other year or so within relative proximity, but often go undetected, scientists said. The close encounter was unusual in the sense that scientists know about it and that it will provide an unprecedented chance to study an asteroid up close. -dpa