Large asteroid to pass safely near earth this week

A large near-Earth asteroid, designated 2025 FA22, will make a close but safe flyby of Earth on Thursday, September 18, 2025, astronomers have confirmed.

According to a Forbes report, the asteroid — estimated to measure between 120 and 280 meters in diameter (roughly the size of two football fields) — will pass at a distance of 523,000 miles (842,000 kilometres), which is more than twice the distance between Earth and the Moon.

Astronomers noted that such close approaches by objects of this size happen only once every decade.

“While this is an absolutely safe approach, it is still remarkable: a similarly close encounter, involving an object of that size coming that close, happens on average one time every 10 years,” said Gianluca Masi, an astronomer with The Virtual Telescope Project.

The asteroid was first discovered in March 2025 by the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope. It was initially flagged as a potential risk for the year 2089, but subsequent observations ruled out the possibility of impact, leading the European Space Agency (ESA) to remove it from its risk list.

If an asteroid of this size were to hit Earth, scientists warn it could create a crater about 4 kilometres wide. However, experts have assured that there is no danger from this flyby.

During its closest approach, the asteroid will reach a magnitude of 13.2, making it visible through small backyard telescopes. Space enthusiasts worldwide, including viewers in Nigeria, can also watch the flyby live via a free online livestream hosted by the Virtual Telescope Project in Tuscany, Italy, starting at 03:00 UTC on September 18.

“This event offers a rare opportunity to observe a large near-Earth object safely while highlighting the importance of monitoring potentially hazardous asteroids,” Masi added.