Watch live as jetliner-sized asteroid passes about half the distance between Earth, Moon this week
Asteroid 2025 QD8 will pass about 135,500 miles from Earth, which is 57% of the average distance between the Earth and the Moon, according to NASA.
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The recently discovered asteroid 2025 QD8 will zoom closely by Earth on Wednesday. However, there is no need to be concerned.
This space rock will safely pass by our planet, and you can watch as it happens. According to NASA's Small-Body Database, 2025 QD8 was discovered on Aug. 18. The asteroid is estimated to be up to 124 feet long, about the same length as a jumbo jet.
According to NASA, asteroid 2025 QD8 will make its closest pass of Earth on Wednesday just before 11 a.m. ET. The asteroid will pass about 135,500 miles from Earth, which is 57% of the average distance between the Earth and the Moon, according to NASA.
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The Virtual Telescope Project has been tracking the asteroid with its 17-inch telescope nicknamed "Elena" and recently shared some long-exposure images of the near-Earth visitor. The image below was taken as the asteroid was zooming about 1.2 million miles from Earth.
A 120-second exposure showing asteroid 2025 QD8 about 1.8 million km from Earth.
(The Virtual Telescope Project / FOX Weather)
Beginning Tuesday night, The Virtual Telescope Project will live stream this close approach on YouTube for the world to safely watch.
Even though this asteroid comes within 4.6 million miles of Earth, it's not considered a potentially hazardous object because it is less than 140 meters, according to NASA. Still, NASA said an asteroid over 140 meters impacts Earth about every 1,000 years, and would cause localized devastation.