HomeScienceGiant 260-foot building- sized asteroid rushing towards Earth today at a speed of 20,560 mph—NASA confirms

Giant 260-foot building- sized asteroid rushing towards Earth today at a speed of 20,560 mph—NASA confirms

Asteroid 2016 AX165, a 260-foot near-Earth object, will come closer to Earth on 20 February 2025, with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory closely monitoring its trajectory.

February 20, 2025 / 10:08 IST
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Asteroid (Representative Image - Canva)
Asteroid (Representative Image - Canva)

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is monitoring asteroid 2016 AX165, which will pass Earth on 20 February 2025. This near-Earth object, about 260 feet in diameter, poses no threat to our planet.

Asteroid's Approach Details

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Asteroid 2016 AX165 will make its closest approach at 02:34 AM IST, passing approximately 3,560,000 miles from Earth—over 14 times the distance to the Moon. Travelling at about 20,560 miles per hour, its trajectory ensures a safe passage.

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) are celestial bodies that come within 1.3 astronomical units of Earth. Studying them provides insights into the solar system's formation and potential impact risks.