NASA has issued a warning about a city-killer asteroid set to zoom past Earth today, January 28, at a speed of 35,000 miles per hour—faster than a speeding bullet. NASA has been keeping track of this asteroid that has been dubbed 2025 BS4. Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun, and they are mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. They are like leftover pieces from the time our solar system was formed. At times, when asteroids follow their path around the sun, they come close to Earth. They zoom past because of their speed and the pull of gravity from planets and the sun, and these close passes are normal. So, let’s take a look at more details about the city-killer asteroid, 2025 BS4. NASA Asteroid Alert: Giant Space Rocks 2022 OB5 and 2024 YB10 Set for Close Encounter With Earth, Should You Be Worried?

City-Killer Asteroid To Zoom Past Earth

The city-killer asteroid, dubbed 2025 BS4, is set to zoom past Earth today, January 28, 2025, at an incredible speed of 35,000 miles per hour—10 times faster than a speeding bullet.

Does the City-Killer Asteroid Pose a Threat to Earth?

The asteroid is not expected to hit Earth, but its sheer speed and potential for destruction have raised concerns. The asteroid measures around 23 feet wide and weighs as much as a blue whale, and it could cause major damage if it were to collide with a major city.

Is It Considered a Near-Earth Object?

According to scientists, the impact of the asteroid would release a force equal to 19,000 tons of TNT, strong enough to destroy entire cities. Even though the asteroid will pass 511,000 miles away—twice the distance to the moon—it is still considered a near-earth object (NEO) because it comes within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit. Asteroid Heading Towards Planet? Don’t Worry (Too Much) About Asteroids Hitting Earth.

Asteroid 2025 BS4 has not been classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA), which is reserved for objects at least 460 feet wide. While experts stay alert, NASA has assured the public that no known asteroid currently poses a serious risk to Earth. However, as asteroids continue to shift in the orbit, astronomers remain watchful of the cosmos.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2025 12:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).