A huge asteroid is set to zoom past Earth today in the closest encounter for over a decade.

Object 2014 JO25 will be visible in the sky as it passes 4.6 times further away than the Moon.

The rock, known as The Rock after Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, was due to pass at around 1.24pm, but will be visible into the evening against a starry backdrop.

It’s expected to fly by safely at about 4.6 lunar distances - roughly 1,097,590 miles.

According to NASA, it is the closest fly-by by an asteroid this large since 4179 Toutatis in September 2004, and no other rock will come close for another decade.

The 2017 encounter is the closest by this asteroid for at least the last 400 years, and it isn't set to be as close again until at least 2500.

2014 JO25 is classified as a "potentially hazardous asteroid" by the Minor Planet Centre.

The rock is around one kilometre long. It is travelling through space at around 75,072 mph although will appear to be moving slowly due to the distance.

It was first spotted by the Mt Lemmon Survey in Arizona in May 2014.