An asteroid passes near Earth today…and…"Jeddah Astronomy" Rest assured

It draws the attention of astronomical observatories and those interested in Space, today, Sunday, towards the sky to observe a distinctive astronomical event represented by the passage of the newly discovered asteroid “2025 WM4” alongside the Earth on a path that is very close astronomically, but completely safe according to scientific reassurances issued by the competent authorities.

This space visitor is completing his journey today at a distance estimated at only 271,548 kilometers from the surface of Earth, which means that it will pass from a distance 30% less than the average distance that separates us from the Moon, which makes it officially classified among the “near-Earth objects” that require careful monitoring.

Engineer Majid Abu Zahra, President of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah, reassured the public that this close approach does not constitute any threat to the safety of the planet, pointing out that the small size of the asteroid and the nature of its astronomical path make its passage an event. Scientifically interesting and not a cause for concern.

Small size

Modern astronomical measurements indicate that the diameter of the asteroid “2025 WM4” is only about 17 metres, which is a small size compared to asteroids that are classified as a potential danger, which guarantees that most of it will disintegrate and burn up in the event that it theoretically enters the Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the surface.

The experts completely ruled out the direct collision scenario, explaining Even in the worst theoretical hypotheses, an asteroid of this size will produce a luminous air explosion in the upper atmosphere, the sound of which may be seen and heard, without causing terrestrial disasters or widespread damage.

Astronomers recalled, for comparison, the incident of the “Chelyabinsk” asteroid, which exploded in the sky of Russia in 2013 with a boat diameter of 20 meters, stressing that the impact of the current asteroid – if it occurred hypothetically – would be much less severe, given Due to its small size compared to its predecessor.

Monitoring and tracking space objects

This passage is a golden opportunity for the international scientific community, as it allows scientists to verify orbit calculations, study the physical properties of nearby objects, as well as test and develop early warning systems to protect the Earth from any potential future dangers.

The Jeddah Astronomical Society called on the public to obtain information from reliable scientific sources, such as NASA and the European Space Agency, warning From being led by misleading headlines on social media platforms that may exaggerate the event and portray it as an imminent danger contrary to reality.

She stressed that this astronomical event – which is passing peacefully today – reflects the ability of modern science to monitor and track space objects with extreme accuracy, which enhances humanity’s understanding of its neighbors in this vast universe, and transforms unknown fears into reassuring scientific knowledge.

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