Astronomy lovers and scientists are watching the skies this week as asteroid 2025 QY4 comes near Earth. The space rock is about 180 feet wide and belongs to the Aten group of asteroids, which often cross Earth’s orbit. NASA’s Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) says the asteroid is moving at an incredible speed of 39,205 miles per hour. Even though it is coming close in space terms, experts confirm it will not hit Earth.
Closest Approach
NASA reports that asteroid 2025 QY4 will pass Earth on Friday, August 29, 2025, at 11:26 AM IST. At its nearest point, it will be about 2.81 million miles (4.51 million km) away. While this distance sounds huge, in space it is considered fairly close. NASA marks any object larger than 85 metres that comes within 7.4 million km as “potentially hazardous.” Since QY4 is bigger than that but still far enough, it is not dangerous.
Why Scientists Track It
Tracking near-Earth asteroids is important for planetary defence. Small changes in their paths, caused by gravity or sunlight, can affect where they go in the future. That is why agencies like NASA, ESA, JAXA, and ISRO monitor them closely. ISRO chief S. Somanath has also shared plans for India to study asteroids, especially larger ones like Apophis, which will come close to Earth in 2029. Watching QY4 helps scientists understand how asteroids move and how to prepare for any risks in the future.
A Reminder from Space
Even though QY4 is safe, its flyby reminds us that space is always changing. Events like this highlight the importance of global cooperation in space science and protecting our planet. The passage of QY4 is not only exciting for astronomy fans but also shows why careful observation of the skies is so important.
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