However, this term is technically correct, especially when the inconceivable scale of space is taken into consideration.
To put this into celestial context, the average distance between Earth and its Moon is 238,855 miles (384,400 km).
As its name indicates, the recently-discovered 2021 AU will be at its closest to Earth on Thursday, January 6, at 11.27pm GMT (3:27pm PT), before it continues it elliptical orbit around the solar system.
Unfortunately, despite the relatively unusual nature of its flyby, the asteroid cannot be viewed from Earth with commercially-available equipment.
