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67-Meter Asteroid, Bigger Than the Pisa Tower, Will Pass 633,000 Km from Earth on July 28. NASA Monitors Its Trajectory and Ensures: There Is No Impact Risk.
An asteroid about 67 meters in diameter, larger than the famous Pisa Tower (which measures 55.86 meters in height), is set to pass relatively close to Earth. Named 2025 OW, the celestial body was detected by the Pan-STARRS 2 spacecraft on July 21 and, according to NASA calculations, will make its closest approach on Monday, July 28, at a distance of 633,000 kilometers from our planet — just under double the distance between Earth and the Moon.
Despite the alert issued by NASA, the U.S. agency reassures: the asteroid poses no collision risk with Earth. It moves at an impressive speed of 20.97 km/s (about 75,000 km/h) and, although it is classified as a “Near-Earth Object” (NEO), it is not considered “potentially hazardous” since it is less than half the minimum size (140 meters) required for such a classification.
Asteroid Bigger Than the Pisa Tower: Comparison Helps to Understand the Phenomenon
To enhance public understanding, astronomers have used the Pisa Tower as a reference: the asteroid measures almost 11 meters more than the famous Italian tourist spot. This comparison clarifies the size of 2025 OW, which, despite being a “small cosmic giant,” is well below the size of asteroids that could cause significant damage in the event of an impact.
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Still, the event is significant because it illustrates the ongoing monitoring done by space agencies like NASA, which track thousands of objects circulating in the Solar System that may approach our planet.
Near-Earth Asteroid: Why Does NASA Monitor These Objects?
NASA maintains a robust program for observing asteroids and comets known as NEOs. The agency considers an asteroid “potentially hazardous” when it approaches within less than 7.5 million kilometers from Earth and has a diameter of over 140 meters.
Even though it does not fall into this category, 2025 OW merits attention due to its orbit and because it crosses Earth’s neighborhood with considerable frequency. It had previously passed by our planet on July 28, 2024, but at a greater distance — about 1.9 million kilometers.
The early detection of 2025 OW, days before its approach, shows that alert and monitoring systems are functioning, allowing scientists to calculate trajectories and reassure the public about potential risks.
NASA Alerts Asteroid: The Importance of Clarifying Concepts
When NASA announces the approach of an asteroid, it is common for doubts and even unfounded alarms to arise. Therefore, experts are keen to clarify: the term “potentially hazardous asteroid” does not mean that an impact will occur, but rather that the celestial body enters a special monitoring radius.
In the case of 2025 OW, it does not meet the size criteria to be considered hazardous, although the approach distance is short in astronomical terms. In other words, it is a notable event for science but poses no concrete threat to the planet.
Space in 2025: A Busy Year for Asteroid Observation
2025 OW is just one of several asteroids being monitored this year. Since the passage of asteroid MK on June 29, 2024, no other object has come as close to Earth — on that occasion, MK passed only 299,000 kilometers from our planet, less than the distance between Earth and the Moon.
These events demonstrate how frequent the approach of asteroids, even small ones, is and serve as a reminder for investment in monitoring technology and, in the future, potential planetary defense systems.
Asteroids: Remnants from the Dawn of the Solar System
Bodies like 2025 OW are true time capsules. They are remnants from the formation of the Solar System billions of years ago, composed of rock, metal, and other primitive materials. Studying these objects can provide clues about the origins of planets and even about how water and organic compounds reached Earth.
Each approach of an asteroid, therefore, is a valuable scientific opportunity: telescopes and probes can collect data on composition, rotation, brightness, and even possible natural satellites of these bodies.
What to Expect from the Passage on July 28?
The asteroid 2025 OW will pass “silently” by Earth, not visible to the naked eye, but will be observed by telescopes around the world. NASA will maintain updates on its trajectory, which has already been calculated with a high degree of precision, confirming that there is no impact risk.
Still, the proximity serves as a reminder that space is full of objects crossing Earth’s orbit and that investment in science and technology is essential to understand and, if necessary, protect against future threats.
The asteroid bigger than the Pisa Tower passing by Earth at 633,000 kilometers is a reminder of the grandeur and unpredictability of space, but also of humanity’s capacity for vigilance and prediction.
NASA reinforces that there is no reason for concern, but rather for admiration at the fact that we can track, study, and understand cosmic phenomena like this with increasing precision.
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