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Near-Earth Asteroid Flybys: What You Need to Know (Updated August 27, 2025)
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Two asteroids, estimated to be aircraft-sized, made close approaches to Earth on August 26, 2025. This event highlights ongoing NASA monitoring efforts to assess and mitigate potential space threats.
What Happened?
On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, two asteroids passed near Earth. While NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) confirmed the flybys, they posed no threat of impact. The asteroids were described as being approximately the size of aircraft.
This event is part of a continuous stream of near-Earth object (NEO) observations. NASA actively tracks these objects to understand their orbits and assess any potential risks to our planet.
Understanding Near-Earth Objects
Asteroids are remnants from the early formation of our solar system, approximately 4.6 billion years ago (NASA Science: Asteroids). Most reside in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but some have orbits that bring them closer to Earth.
Asteroid sizes vary dramatically. Vesta, one of the largest, has a diameter of 530 kilometers, while others are less than 10 meters across. The asteroids that passed Earth on August 26, 2025, were substantially smaller, comparable in size to an airplane.
One notable asteroid, 99942 Apophis, has been a subject of intense study.Initially,there was concern about a potential impact in 2029,but NASA has since ruled out any impact risk for at least the next 100 years.
The Case of Toutatis
Asteroid 4179 Toutatis is a particularly interesting NEO due to its complex orbit and relatively close approaches to Earth. It has a diameter of approximately 5.4 kilometers. On December 12, 2014, Toutatis passed within 4.3 million miles of Earth, and a closer approach is predicted for November 2069, at a distance of 1.8 million miles (JPL Small-Body Database: 4179 Toutatis). Despite these close approaches, NASA analysis confirms no collision threat for the next 400 years.
NASA’s Planetary Defense Efforts
The Planet Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) at NASA is dedicated to monitoring, tracking, and characterizing asteroids and comets that could pose a threat to earth. This includes:
- discovery and Tracking: Identifying and cataloging NEOs.
- Orbit Determination: Precisely calculating the orbits of NEOs to predict future trajectories.
- Impact assessment: Evaluating the potential risk of impact and developing mitigation strategies.
- DART Mission: The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission successfully demonstrated the ability to alter the orbit of an asteroid (NASA: DART Mission).
The DART mission,which impacted the asteroid Dimorphos in September 2022,was a landmark achievement in planetary defense. It proved that we have the technological capability to deflect asteroids if necessary.
