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A tiny asteroid known as 2025 TF passed over Antarctica at a height of about 265 miles (428 km) below multiple satellites. To the amazement of the astronomers, it was first seen hours after it had passed closest to them. The fact that even tiny space pebbles may pass past radar without being noticed in time is demonstrated by this last-second collision. It also raises the question of how well we can track these small, swift things.
Too Near for Comfort
Around 8.47 p.m. EDT, the Asteroid 2025 TF—which is between 1 and 3 meters, or between a giraffe and a small car—passed Earth at the same altitude as the International Space Station, according to ESA reports. Its flyby is the closest one ever observed by an impactless object. 2020 VT4, which was orbiting the planet at a distance of around 230 miles, was one of the cases that established precedents in the past. While small asteroids pose minimal harm to the entire planet at these distances, they might endanger satellites or generate fireballs if they impact with an atmosphere.
The Reasons We Miss Them
Meter-scale asteroids are quite difficult to detect. First of all, they are tiny and dim, so only when the sun reflects perfectly can they be seen. Second, many come from directions that telescopes do not examine, close to the Sun's glare. Third, fast-moving objects can evade real-time data analysis and limited telescope coverage.
The 2025 TF was only verified after the event using the Catalina Sky Survey and subsequent observations, as ESA pointed out. Current technologies are less sensitive to these quick, little visits than the thousands of bigger near-Earth objects that space agencies track.
#asteroid #earth #satellites #space #universe #newsmintora #googlenews
