An asteroid comparable in size to the Washington Monument will pass safely by Earth on September 18. The event, involving asteroid 2025 FA22, presents no danger to our planet and will be broadcast live online for public viewing.
The celestial object is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid due to its size and orbital path, making this a noteworthy, though completely safe, astronomical event.
Key Takeaways
- Asteroid Name: 2025 FA22
- Closest Approach: September 18 at 3:42 a.m. EDT (0742 GMT).
- Distance from Earth: Approximately 523,206 miles (842,018 km), or 2.2 times the distance to the Moon.
- Size: Estimated between 427 and 951 feet (130 to 290 meters) wide.
- Threat Level: Zero risk of impact to Earth or the Moon.
- How to Watch: A live stream will be provided by the Virtual Telescope Project.
Details of the Close Approach
Asteroid 2025 FA22 is scheduled to reach its nearest point to Earth in the early hours of September 18. The flyby will occur at precisely 3:42 a.m. EDT (0742 GMT).
At its closest, the asteroid will be 523,206 miles (842,018 kilometers) away. This distance is more than double the distance between Earth and the Moon, ensuring a safe passage with no possibility of collision.
The Virtual Telescope Project, a service that provides remote access to robotic telescopes, has confirmed the safety of the event. They will be tracking the asteroid as it moves through space.
How to Watch the Flyby Live
Space enthusiasts and the public can observe the asteroid's journey online. The Virtual Telescope Project will host a free live stream on its YouTube channel.
The broadcast is set to begin at 11:00 p.m. EDT on September 17 (which corresponds to 03:00 GMT on September 18). The stream will feature live images captured by robotic telescopes located in Italy, providing a real-time view as the asteroid approaches our planet.
A Rare Observation Opportunity
According to Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Institute, this event is a significant opportunity for observation. While the approach is safe, its proximity is notable.
"A similar close encounter, involving an object of that size coming that close, happens one time every ten years on average, accordingly to JPL Center for NEO Studies," Masi stated in a blog post.
Understanding Asteroid 2025 FA22
Asteroid 2025 FA22 was first identified in March of this year by the Pan-STARRS survey, a wide-field imaging facility that scans the sky for near-Earth objects. Its estimated size is substantial, ranging from 427 to 951 feet (130 to 290 meters) in diameter.
Following its discovery, the asteroid was classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). This designation is given to space objects that meet specific criteria related to their size and their potential to make close approaches to Earth.
It is important to note that the "potentially hazardous" label does not mean an object is an immediate threat. It simply indicates that its orbit is worth monitoring over long periods.
The asteroid follows a 668-day orbit around the Sun. Its path through the inner solar system takes it far beyond the orbit of Mars before it loops back toward Earth's vicinity.
Impact Statistics from NASA
NASA provides context on the frequency of impacts from asteroids of this size. The agency estimates that an object comparable to 2025 FA22 strikes Earth approximately once every 20,000 years. Such an impact would be powerful enough to create a crater up to 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) in diameter.
The Importance of Monitoring Near-Earth Objects
The tracking of asteroids like 2025 FA22 is a critical part of global planetary defense efforts. Observatories such as Pan-STARRS continuously scan the skies to discover, catalog, and track near-Earth objects (NEOs).
By identifying these objects and calculating their orbits, scientists can predict their future paths and assess any potential long-term risks. This proactive monitoring allows for early warnings and provides decades, or even centuries, of notice if an object were ever on a collision course with our planet.
The safe flyby of 2025 FA22 serves as a practical example of this system in action, transforming a potentially concerning event into a valuable scientific observation and a public engagement opportunity.
