Massive 110-foot asteroid, the size of a plane to fly by Earth on July 30

NASA's Asteroid Alert! (Image: Canva)

A cosmic guest is heading our way this week. Though it poses no threat, its approach has caught the attention of sky watchers and scientists around the world.

NASA has confirmed that asteroid 2025 OL1 will pass Earth on 30 July. The rock is roughly 110 feet wide—close to the size of a passenger aircraft. It will come within 1.29 million kilometres of Earth, moving at nearly 27,200 kilometres per hour. That distance might sound safe, but in space terms, it’s close enough to track.

No Danger, but Still Under Watch
NASA officials say there’s no reason to worry. The asteroid is not large enough or near enough to be classed as dangerous. To be marked hazardous, an object must come within 7.4 million kilometres and be at least 85 metres wide. 2025 OL1 falls short on both counts.

Still, space scientists remain cautious. Even tiny shifts in an asteroid’s orbit can matter. A small nudge could, over time, push an object closer to Earth. That’s why even low-risk space rocks like 2025 OL1 are monitored carefully.

ISRO Joins the Global Effort
India’s space agency, ISRO, is also staying alert. Chairman S. Somanath has stressed the need for planetary protection. He has shown interest in future missions with NASA, ESA, and JAXA.

ISRO plans to study asteroids more closely and may land probes on them. These missions could help detect risks early and test ways to protect Earth. Somanath believes that asteroid impacts could cause major destruction. He hopes international cooperation will improve our chances of staying safe.

Although this week’s flyby is harmless, it reminds us to stay ready. Space may seem distant, but sometimes it comes surprisingly close.