A small asteroid has passed closer to the earth than any others on record.

Scientists said that the small space rock gets within 26,500 miles of earth, and will cross from one side of the moon's orbit to the other in 31 hours.

The asteroid, named 2004FH, was discovered on Monday. It has a diameter of about 100 feet.

The Earth's gravity will bend its path by about 15 degrees.

(CRI March 19, 2004)