On January 19, 2025, an asteroid named 2024 WY70, measuring approximately 800 feet in length, passed near Earth at a speed of 36,000 kilometers per hour. This size is comparable to that of a football stadium.
The asteroid came within 6.3 million kilometers of Earth, a distance considered relatively close in astronomical terms, yet not posing an immediate threat. This distance is roughly 16 times that of the Earth-Moon distance.
NASA classified 2024 WY70 as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA), though it was determined to present no immediate danger to Earth.
To track near-Earth objects, NASA and other space agencies utilize systems such as Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey, and NEOWISE. These tools continuously scan the sky for asteroids or other celestial bodies that may approach Earth. The Goldstone Solar System Radar is also employed for precise tracking of asteroids.