A massive asteroid nearly as large as a New York skyscraper will make a close approach to Earth in the early hours of September 18, according to astronomers.
The asteroid, officially named 2025 FA22, will hurtle past the planet at over 24,000 miles per hour. Scientists say the object, which measures between 427 and 951 feet in diameter, will also make repeat passes in 2089 and 2173.
While its size and speed would have devastating effects if it collided with Earth, both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have confirmed that it poses no immediate threat. Updated trajectory measurements have removed 2025 FA22 from ESA’s asteroid risk table.
“Impacts on this scale are rare, but the consequences would be catastrophic,” ESA researchers explained, noting that the September 18 flyby provides a rare opportunity to study a skyscraper-sized asteroid up close.
A Close Encounter With a Massive Asteroid
The asteroid was first detected in March 2025 by a telescope in Hawaii and quickly flagged as a “potentially hazardous asteroid.” Objects larger than 492 feet passing within 4.6 million miles of Earth automatically earn that classification under NASA’s Asteroid Watch program.
