162 asteroids flew closer to Earth than the Moon

Over the past year, 162 asteroids flew closer to Earth than the Moon. NASA and ESA warn only 40% of dangerous objects have been identified, with one asteroid posing a small risk of hitting the Moon in 2032.

NASA and ESA reported that 162 asteroids passed closer to Earth than the Moon in the last 12 months. As of June 2025, over 38,000 near-Earth asteroids have been discovered, but only about 40% of potentially hazardous ones are known.

Asteroid "2024 YR4," discovered in December 2024, has a 4.3% chance of hitting the Moon in 2032. It is currently too distant for further tracking until 2028.

NASA continues weekly discoveries using infrared tech, while ESA uses the Flyeye telescope. The DART and Hera missions aim to improve asteroid deflection strategies.

In June, a space rock exploded over several U.S. states with a blast equal to 20 tonnes of TNT. In Türkiye, a bright meteor lit up the skies over Van last December.

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