Asteroid

Museum curator made a habit of monitoring flashes on the moon

Daichi Fujii has logged about 60 impacts on the Moon since 2011, giving astronomers fresh data on asteroid strike rates.

The surface of the moon.
Illustration: asteroid near earth.

Giant asteroid 2025 FA22, 1000x the Chelyabinsk meteorite's mass, rushes past earth today

The orbit of 2025 QV5 around the Sun brings it close to Earth and Venus. For most of the next century, the asteroid will pass closer to Venus more often

No danger, says NASA: Airplane-sized asteroid buzzed Earth at 28,000 mph

This image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera, July 21, 2025.

A new guest in the cosmic neighborhood: The possible extraterrestrial origins of 3I/ATLAS


NASA's Lucy spacecraft captures first images of asteroid Donaldjohanson

Flyby of Donaldjohanson will test Lucy's navigation before mission to Jupiter Trojans.

 NASA's Lucy spacecraft captures first images of asteroid Donaldjohanson.

Astronomers see lower risk of newly found asteroid hitting Earth

The asteroid, called 2024 YR4, is orbiting on a path that will bring it close to Earth in 2032, with scientists previously calculating impact probability at around 3%.

 Asteroid 2024 YR4's impact risk increases to 3.1%, highest ever recorded. Illustration.

Asteroid 2024 YR4's impact risk increases to 3.1%, highest ever recorded

NASA's CNEOS ranks the threat level of asteroid 2024 YR4 at 3 out of 10 on the Torino Scale, indicating a '1% or greater chance of collision capable of localized destruction.'

 Asteroid 2024 YR4's impact risk increases to 3.1%, highest ever recorded. Illustration.

'We cannot ignore this rock': ESA raises doubles estimated risk of impact of asteroid 2024 YR4

The asteroid has been given a rating of 3 out of 10, indicating a "close encounter, meriting attention by astronomers."

 Asteroid Lutetia and Saturn. At a distance of 36000 km the OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) took this image catching the planet Saturn in the background.

How China's new planetary defense team plans to tackle cosmic threats

Weeks after the asteroid's discovery, China’s defense agency announced three key vacancies in its planetary defense initiative.

 Asteroid Lutetia and Saturn. At a distance of 36000 km the OSIRIS Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) took this image catching the planet Saturn in the background.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 rises to the top of NASA's risk chart

The next close approach of asteroid 2024 YR4 is projected for December 22, 2032, when it may pose a potential danger, with an estimated 1.2% chance of impact.

 Asteroid 2024 YR4 rises to the top of NASA's risk chart. Illustration.

Asteroid the size of 289 Squishmallows has 'very small' chance of hitting Earth in 2032

Using the ESA's measurement, asteroid 2024 YR4 may range anywhere from 200 to 500 Squishmallows, or roughly half of the size of the average child's collection.

 An asteroid is seen near the Earth in this artisitc illustration.

School bus-sized asteroid found to be fragment of the Moon

Spectroscopic analysis shows PT5 matches lunar rocks collected during Apollo missions.

 School bus-sized asteroid found to be fragment of the Moon. Illustration.

Ho ho ho: Asteroid the size of nine reindeer to pass by Earth on Christmas - NASA

An asteroid the size of around nine reindeer - coincidentally, how many reindeer Santa Claus supposedly uses - is set to pass by the Earth on Christmas.

 An illustrative image of an asteroid passing Earth.

No Cosmic Grinch: Asteroid 2024 XN1 to pass safely by Earth on Christmas Eve

NASA is set to track a sizable near-Earth object, asteroid 2024 XN1, which is expected to pass relatively close to Earth on December 24.

 Asteroid Lutetia. Image by 2di7 & titanio44 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.