A skyscraper-size asteroid, classified as “potentially hazardous,” will make a close pass by Earth on September 18, and skywatchers can catch the event through a simple backyard telescope or a free livestream.
The object, named 2025 FA22, was first spotted earlier this year and briefly caused concern after initial calculations suggested a small chance of impact in 2089, placing it at the top of the European Space Agency’s risk list. Updated observations have since ruled out any immediate danger.
Estimated to measure between 427 and 951 feet (130 and 290 meters) across, the asteroid is big enough to devastate a major city if it ever struck. It will pass within 520,000 miles (835,000 kilometers) of Earth—a little more than twice the distance to the moon—while travelling at a speed of about 24,000 mph (38,600 km/h).
Asteroids are rock-like objects that orbit the Sun, and meteors are pieces of asteroids (or comets) that enter the Earth's atmosphere. While small meteors occur every day, large meteors or asteroids are far rarer. According to NASA, a car-size asteroid enters our atmosphere about once a year, burning up as a fireball, while an object the size of a football field hits Earth roughly every 2,000 years, causing major damage.
Intrigued? Click through this gallery to discover some of the close calls from the last 20 years._________________________________________________________________________________