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4h ago

Newly Tracked Asteroid 2025 QD8 to Make Safe, Very Close Flyby of Earth on Sept. 3

The encounter underscores active near‑Earth monitoring and public observation efforts.

© Gianluca Masi/The Virtual telescope Project 2.0
A stock image illustration of an asteroid approaching Earth, with an inset stock image of an airplane in the sky.
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Overview

  • NASA and ESA data show the object will pass about 35,465 miles (218,009 km) from Earth—roughly 57% of the Moon’s average distance—at around 15:56 BST (8:27 pm IST) with no risk of impact.
  • The asteroid is estimated to be 17–38 meters (55–125 feet) across and will be moving at approximately 28,000 mph (about 45,000 km/h) relative to Earth.
  • It will be too faint to see with the naked eye, and the Virtual Telescope Project plans a livestream to show the close pass.
  • Amateur astronomers with the Virtual Telescope Project first imaged 2025 QD8 earlier this year when it was about 2.4 million miles (3.9 million km) from Earth, aiding orbit refinement.
  • Experts note that objects of this size can cause significant local effects if they were to enter the atmosphere, while recent planetary‑defense work such as NASA’s DART test and ESA’s forthcoming Hera mission aims to improve mitigation strategies.