Khaberni - The American space agency NASA announced that it is closely tracking the path of an asteroid that might be dangerous as it approaches Earth in the coming days.
This week, the sky is exhibiting unusual activity with a group of asteroids passing near the Earth, which prompts NASA to intensify monitoring efforts within programs tracking near-Earth objects.
Among these objects, the most notable is the asteroid 2025 VP1, which has a diameter of about 11 meters, equivalent to the size of a school bus, and is expected to come as close to Earth as 361,000 miles, closer than the Moon’s orbit.
Although the chances of a collision are nonexistent, the passage of this type of asteroid provides an important scientific opportunity to study the movement of small bodies in space near Earth.
Alongside VP1, this week also sees the passage of asteroid 2025 VC4, similarly sized, at a distance of 1.24 million miles. Although classified as non-dangerous, their data contribute to improving orbital prediction models that NASA relies on for planetary defense plans.
The most significant event remains the passage of the giant asteroid 3361 Orpheus, which has a diameter of about 430 meters, roughly the size of the Empire State Building, according to "dailygalaxy".
This asteroid is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Object (PHA), not because of an immediate threat, but due to its size and its relatively close orbit to Earth.
Orpheus will pass at a speed of 20,000 miles per hour at a safe distance, but scientists continue to monitor it in anticipation of any future changes that might occur due to gravity.
NASA confirms that these approaches, although routine, serve as a reminder of the importance of ongoing monitoring projects such as the CNEOS center, which collects data from observatories around the world to map accurate paths for these objects. These data also support planetary defense programs, such as the DART mission aimed at altering the paths of potentially threatening asteroids in the future.
NASA reports indicate that there is currently no imminent danger from known asteroids, but it emphasizes that monitoring small and yet-to-be-discovered objects remains a continual priority to protect our planet in the long run.
