Should named "Whew". ;^)
Posted on 07/23/2025 12:12:59 PM PDT by Red Badger
On July 28, a plane-sized asteroid, named 2025 OW, is scheduled to pass Earth at a distance of 393,000 miles. While this event has captured public attention, NASA experts are quick to remind us that it’s not as extraordinary as it may seem. In fact, according to NASA specialists, close encounters with asteroids like 2025 OW are routine occurrences in the solar system and pose no threat to Earth. As 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.”
Asteroids passing Earth, although they may sound alarming, are closely monitored by NASA and other space organizations. In fact, 2025 OW’s orbit is so well-understood that NASA scientists are confident they can predict its position with high precision for the next century. This reassurance is key to alleviating any fears about the potential risks of such close encounters.
Routine Encounters: A Normal Part of Our Solar System
Asteroids and other near-Earth objects (NEOs) are not rare occurrences, and close passes happen frequently. “Close approaches happen all the time — it’s just part of the fabric of the solar system,” said Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). This is why NASA constantly tracks the movements of these objects. Farnocchia’s team is already watching five other asteroids set to pass Earth in the coming week alone.
Despite their regularity, the real concern is the size and speed of the objects. 2025 OW measures approximately 210 feet in length and travels at an impressive speed of 46,908 miles per hour. Although large, this asteroid is not an immediate concern due to its well-understood trajectory. The NASA team’s constant monitoring helps ensure that if any significant threat were detected, they would immediately issue public warnings.
Predicting the Path: How NASA Tracks Asteroids Like 2025 OW
What sets asteroids like 2025 OW apart from other objects in space is the ability to track their precise path. According to Ian O’Neill, “We know exactly where it’s going to be. We’ll probably know where it’s going to be for the next 100 years.” Such precise knowledge allows NASA to continually monitor and assess the risk of these objects. For now, there is no indication that 2025 OW poses any danger, and the asteroid’s trajectory is expected to remain stable for many years.
The predictability of these objects is one of the major advantages of modern space science. Thanks to continuous surveillance and advanced tracking techniques, scientists can ensure the safety of Earth and keep the public informed.
Apophis: The 2029 Close Approach That Will Be Visible to the Naked Eye
While the passing of 2025 OW may be routine, it isn’t the most exciting near-Earth object on NASA’s radar. In 2029, asteroid Apophis will pass incredibly close to Earth, coming within just 38,000 kilometers, which is closer than our geostationary satellites. Farnocchia emphasized the significance of this event, stating, “Apophis will come within 38,000 kilometers of Earth in April 2029 — closer than our geostationary satellites.” At approximately 1,115 feet in length, Apophis will be large enough to be visible to the naked eye, offering a rare opportunity for the public to observe an asteroid up close.
Despite the excitement surrounding this event, NASA is confident that the asteroid poses no threat to Earth. Instead, it will provide scientists with a valuable opportunity to study a near-Earth object at a remarkably close distance. For skywatchers, Apophis will be a sight worth observing as it passes by in 2029.
RUN!!!!!
3I/2023 (ATLAS) is coming and it looks like it will fly between Mars and Earth with an estimated diameter of 20 kilometers.
Women, children, BIPOC, minorities, , underserved communities, lgbtqwtf hardest hit.
“Plane” sized is better than “planet” sized, but this object will pass further away than the moon, and no one is worrying that the moon is about to crash into the earth.
When they spot one that's going to pass within 75 feet of the Earth, then I'll be concerned.
Oh, thank goodness! So relieved that NASA can alert us in time to go buy beer and chips before we get smashed.
Gotta be BOEING sized.
Fo shizzle. (whatever that means.)
Despite the excitement surrounding this event, NASA is confident that the asteroid [Apophis, 1,115 ft long, passing earth at a distance of 23,612 miles] poses no threat to Earth.
A paper airplane, Learjet or 747 sized? It might land at Kennedy International Airport...😀
These journalists...
So instead, in 4 years, we have a much bigger asteroid coming much closer, named after this clown...
Apophis (also known as Apep) is the Great Serpent, enemy of the sun god Ra, in ancient Egyptian religion. The sun was Ra’s great barge which sailed through the sky from dawn to dusk and then descended into the underworld. As it sailed through the darkness, it was attacked by Apophis who sought to kill Ra and prevent sunrise.
Nothing to see here, move along, move along...
The Apophis keywords, sorted:
Wonder if they can steer it to Iran ?.
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