A giant 65-foot asteroid named 2025 NJ is set to pass Earth today, NASA alerts

Asteroid Alert! (Image: Canva)

The sky welcomes a quiet traveller this week—swift and far off. Though invisible to the naked eye, scientists say it’s worth noting. A small asteroid, about the size of a light aircraft, is set to pass near Earth.

NASA has confirmed that asteroid 2025 NJ will make its closest approach on 7 July. Measuring about 65 feet wide, the space rock is travelling at an estimated speed of 30,329 miles per hour. It will fly past at a distance of nearly 2.24 million kilometres. Though that sounds far, in cosmic terms, it’s a relatively near encounter.

No Threat, but Still Under Watch

NASA has made it clear there is no risk. Asteroids are only marked hazardous if they come closer than 7.4 million kilometres and are wider than 85 meters. Asteroid 2025 NJ does not meet either condition. Still, researchers are tracking its path. Even a slight shift in orbit could affect future passes.

The asteroid belongs to the Aten group, whose orbits often cross Earth’s path. These space rocks are of particular interest because of their potential for close approaches. Observing them helps scientists refine detection systems and improve our preparedness.

India Looks to 2029 and Beyond

While 2025 NJ will pass safely, India’s space agency, ISRO, is keeping a sharp eye on the bigger picture. Chairman S. Somanath has spoken about the importance of planetary defence. One of the key targets is asteroid Apophis, which will come close in 2029.

Somanath hopes to collaborate with NASA, ESA, and JAXA. Together, they aim to develop stronger methods for asteroid tracking and deflection. ISRO is also planning missions to land on asteroids, hoping to study their structure and test possible defence strategies.

As 2025 NJ glides by without incident, experts say it serves as a gentle reminder. The universe is vast, but its contents often pass closer than we’d like. Keeping watch isn’t just scientific—it’s essential.