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NDTV
11 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
Asteroid Alert: NASA Tracks Airplane-Sized Space Rock As It Approaches Earth
An asteroid, named 2025 OW, is scheduled to pass Earth next week. It is estimated to be about 210 feet across, roughly the size of a large airplane. The asteroid will make its closest approach to Earth on July 28, travelling at a speed of approximately 46,908 miles per hour. It will pass our planet at a distance of around 393,000 miles. According to NASA, the asteroid poses no threat to Earth. Ian J O'Neill, who is the media relations specialist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), told ABC News, "This is very routine." "If there was a threat, you would hear from us. We would always put out alerts on our planetary defense blog." "We know exactly where it's going to be. We'll probably know where it's going to be for the next 100 years," O'Neill added. Another expert, Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), told the outlet: "Close approaches happen all the time, it's just part of the fabric of the solar system." Will this asteroid be visible? Farnocchia explained that it won't be visible with binoculars. He, however, mentioned that another exciting event will come in 2029 when asteroid Apophis will approach Earth. "Apophis will come within 38,000 kilometers of Earth in April 2029, closer than our geostationary satellites," Farnocchia said. NASA is also tracking another aeroplane-sized asteroid, 2025 OX, which will fly past Earth on July 26 at a distance of 2,810,000 miles. Asteroids larger than 150 meters in diameter and coming within 7.4 million kilometres of Earth are considered potentially hazardous. Since 2025 OW is larger than the size threshold but will pass at a safe distance, it's worth monitoring. Other asteroids passing by Earth recently included 2025 MM, an airplane-sized asteroid, that passed by Earth on July 1. It measured around 120 feet wide and travelled at 23,874 miles per hour. Another asteroid named 2025 KX8, a 120-foot space rock, also flew by Earth on June 4, passing at a distance of approximately 1.99 million kilometres. An asteroid, 2025 MG1, about 130 feet wide, zoomed safely past Earth on July 12 at a distance of over 3 million kilometres.
News18
11 hours ago
- Science
- News18
Plane-Sized Asteroid To Fly Past Earth Next Week. Here's What NASA Has To Say
Last Updated: The asteroid, which measures around 210 feet long, will fly by on July 28 at a distance of about 393,000 miles A plane-sized asteroid named 2025 OW is set to pass Earth next week, but NASA experts stress there is no cause for alarm. The asteroid, which measures around 210 feet long, will fly by on July 28 at a distance of about 393,000 miles — roughly 1.6 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. Despite its size and speed of nearly 47,000 miles per hour, NASA describes the event as routine. Ian J. O'Neill, media relations specialist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), told ABC News, 'This is very routine. If there was a threat, you would hear from us. We would always put out alerts on our planetary defense blog." Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert from NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), explained that close approaches like this happen regularly in our solar system. 'Close approaches happen all the time — it's just part of the fabric of the solar system," he told the outlet. NASA tracks several asteroids passing near Earth every week, with five expected next week alone. Although 2025 OW is large enough to attract scientific interest, its orbit is well understood and poses no danger. 'We know exactly where it's going to be. We'll probably know where it's going to be for the next 100 years," O'Neill added. For those hoping to spot the asteroid, Farnocchia noted that 2025 OW won't be visible through binoculars. Farnocchia also mentioned that another asteroid, Apophis, will pass within 38,000 kilometres of Earth in 2029 — closer than many of our satellites. Measuring nearly 1,115 feet in length, Apophis will be visible to the naked eye, providing a rare opportunity for public observation. Based on optical and radar tracking data collected between 2004 and 2012, Apophis is expected to pass Earth at an altitude of around 31,900 kilometres, with a margin of error of about 750 kilometres. This close approach is significant, as Earth's gravity could slightly alter its path, potentially setting it on a trajectory that brings it closer during a future flyby. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 23:40 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Enormous asteroid bigger than a 15-story building headed toward Earth in just DAYS
An asteroid the size of the Leaning Tower of Pisa has been spotted just days before it screams past Earth in the latest near-miss astronomers have tracked. NASA has announced that asteroid 2025 OW is expected to pass within 393,000 miles of Earth on Monday, July 28. It's actually one of five asteroids NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) making a close pass by Earth over the next week. Two other asteroids, both between 100 and 200 feet long, are projected to miss Earth by more than a million miles on Thursday. Another small asteroid is expected to pass our planet on Saturday. However, 2025 OW is the largest of this ominous group and will also come much closer to striking the planet on Monday. The space rock has been measured to be approximately 210 feet long, making it comparable to a 15-story building or a large airplane. Its projected distance of 393,000 miles would put it just beyond the moon, which orbits Earth 239,000 miles away. While NASA has said that 2025 OW poses no risk at this time, they noted asteroids of this size could cause minor structural damage or shatter windows if it were to enter the atmosphere over a populated area. Astronomers categorize 2025 OW as a small to medium-sized asteroid, meaning it's not a 'planet-killer' which would cause an extinction-level event on Earth. This type of asteroid generally explodes in the atmosphere and doesn't reach the Earth's surface due to the intense frictional heating and pressure placed on the rock as it enters at high speeds. Scientists said 2025 OW is traveling at about 47,000 miles per hour, which is about an average speed for a near-Earth asteroid (NEA). For comparison, the 500-foot asteroid 2024 MK was traveling at roughly 34,000 mph when it came within 184,000 miles of Earth last July. Meanwhile, the worryingly large, 1,100-foot 99942 Apophis is traveling at 67,000 mph and is expected to come within 20,000 miles of Earth on April 13, 2029. At just 210 feet in length, it won't be visible with the naked eye or through binoculars when it reaches its closest point from the Earth. When it comes to tracking potentially dangerous asteroids, NASA's calculations are typically right on the money, meaning a major error that brings 2025 OW on a collision course with us unlikely. NASA JPL's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) uses ground-based telescopes and planetary radar systems like the Goldstone Solar System Radar to detect and track asteroids. These systems measure an asteroid's position, velocity, and brightness to determine its orbit and size. While NASA is staying on top of these smaller asteroids in view, scientists have recently raised alarm about dangerous objects coming at our planet from our stellar 'blind side.' A recent study warned that Venus blocks out our view of many near-Earth asteroids - large space rocks that cross or come near Earth's orbit - setting up the potential for a devastating impact no one sees coming. Researchers from Brazil, France, and Italy found that several asteroids in sync with Venus's orbit are extremely hard to spot because they're often hidden by the sun's glare. Three in particular, 2020 SB, 524522, and 2020 CL1, have orbits that take these asteroids dangerously close to Earth. The three asteroids flying along with Venus measure between 330 and 1,300 feet in diameter, making each one capable of leveling entire cities and setting off massive fires and tsunamis.
Ammon
20 hours ago
- Science
- Ammon
NASA reports plane-sized asteroid nearing earth
Ammon News - NASA is monitoring an airplane-sized asteroid that is expected to zoom past the Earth on July 28 at a zippy 46,908 miles per hour. The space rock—known as 2025 OW—is estimated to be about 210 feet across and will make its closest approach to our next Monday, at a distance of around 393,000 miles, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). But 2025 OW isn't the only asteroid approaching us in the coming days. NASA is also tracking another airplane-sized space rock known as 2025 OX, which is estimated to be about 110 feet across, and will fly past the Earth on July 26 at a distance of 2,810,000 miles. Three more aircraft-sized space rocks are also expected to pass by Earth in the next few weeks. On July 28, asteroid 2018 BE5 will make its closest approach at a distance of just 2,580,000 miles; 2025 OR will pass within 3,040,000 miles on July 31; and, next month, 2019 CO1 will get within 4,240,000 miles of our home. According to NASA, asteroids are inactive bodies made of all the rocky, dusty and metallic materials left behind from the formation of our solar system. They are mainly concentrated within the main asteroid belt, orbiting around the sun between the paths of Mars and Jupiter, though some may end up in the inner solar system. Asteroids of various sizes can pose different levels of threat to our planet. Small ones around 30 feet impact Earth about once in a decade, causing a very bright fireball, and a strong sonic boom. They may sometimes also break nearby windows. Space rocks measuring 160 feet and over can cause local devastation and leave a crater. Thankfully, they only impact Earth about in 1,000 years. Depending on the impact location, larger space rocks—those that measure in at over 500 feet across—can cause deaths across populated metro areas and states, says NASA. Fortunately, they only hit the Earth around every 20,000 years.
a day ago
- Science
NASA says a plane-sized asteroid will pass Earth next week. Here's what to know.
A plane-sized asteroid scheduled to pass Earth next week is making headlines, but NASA experts want the public to understand why this encounter is more routine than remarkable. The asteroid is named 2025 OW and measures approximately 210 feet in length, according to NASA. It is set to pass Earth on July 28 at a distance of approximately 393,000 miles -- about 1.6 times the average distance to the Moon, according to the space agency. While it's traveling at an impressive speed of 46,908 miles per hour, NASA scientists emphasize this is normal and nothing to lose sleep over. "This is very routine," Ian J. O'Neill, media relations specialist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), told ABC News. "If there was a threat, you would hear from us. We would always put out alerts on our planetary defense blog." Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), explains that space rocks passing by Earth are just business as usual in our solar system. "Close approaches happen all the time -- it's just part of the fabric of the solar system," Farnocchia told ABC News. His team usually tracks several asteroids passing Earth each week -- as of Tuesday, they're watching five for next week alone. While 2025 OW is large enough to be of interest to NASA scientists, its well-understood orbit means it poses no danger. "We know exactly where it's going to be. We'll probably know where it's going to be for the next 100 years," O'Neill said. For space enthusiasts hoping to catch a glimpse of 2025 OW, Farnocchia indicates it won't be visible with binoculars. However, he points to a more exciting upcoming event: the 2029 approach of asteroid Apophis. "Apophis will come within 38,000 kilometers of Earth in April 2029 -- closer than our geostationary satellites," Farnocchia said. Approximately 1,115 feet in length, and due to its exceptionally close approach, Apophis will be visible to the naked eye, offering a rare opportunity for public observation of an asteroid. Both Farnocchia and O'Neill emphasize that while Earth is struck by roughly 100 tons of space material daily, most of this is harmless dust. Larger, potentially hazardous impacts are extremely rare. "For an object the size of 2025 OW, while close approaches might happen yearly, an actual Earth impact would only occur roughly every 10,000 years," Farnocchia notes. NASA continues to monitor near-Earth objects through its planetary defense programs, maintaining public transparency about any potential risks while emphasizing that most asteroid headlines are more sensational than concerning.
