A massive asteroid, 2008 DG5, is set to pass close to Earth on Thursday, June 5, 2025. Measuring between 310 to 690 meters in diameter, the asteroid is classified as a potentially hazardous object due to its size and proximity to our planet. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), this event is considered “infrequent” despite being relatively close.
The asteroid’s scale and distance from Earth make it a rare opportunity for researchers and skywatchers to monitor a massive near-Earth object. Astronomers note that an asteroid of this size could cause widespread regional devastation if it were to impact, generating shockwaves, fires, or tsunamis depending on the impact site.
To put its size into perspective, 2008 DG5 is roughly nine times farther from Earth than the Moon, which orbits our planet at an average distance of 238,855 miles. The asteroid’s orbit completes a full solar cycle every 514 days and was first spotted in 2008 by astronomers from the Catalina Sky Survey.
While this event poses no threat to Earth, it highlights the importance of monitoring near-Earth objects like 2008 DG5. NASA has categorized asteroids over 492 feet in diameter that pass within 4.6 million miles as potentially hazardous objects. The asteroid’s next close approach will not occur until 2032, making this year’s flyby a rare chance to study such an object.
Note: No impact is predicted for the asteroid 2008 DG5, and its passage is considered a safe event for Earth.
Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/asteroid-bigger-than-the-empire-state-building-to-fly-by-earth-this-week-what-if-it-strikes/articleshow/121603766.cms?from=mdr