Close Approach of Tiny Asteroid 2025 TF to Earth

A small asteroid, named 2025 TF, narrowly missed Earth by approximately 250 miles (400 km) on September 30, during a close flyby.

The asteroid’s closest point to Earth occurred around 8:49 p.m. EDT (0049 GMT on October 1), bringing it to an altitude comparable to the International Space Station. While this was a close shave, it was not a record. Five years ago, asteroid 2020 VT4 came even closer at about 230 miles (370 km).

Paths of 2025 TF and Earth intersecting — According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 2025 TF’s closest approach was roughly 186 miles (300 km) from Earth on October 1, 2025. The asteroid is estimated to be about 2 meters (6.5 feet) across.

2025 TF is a tiny object, about the size of a couch, with an estimated diameter between 3 and 9 feet (1.2 to 2.7 meters). It was detected just hours after its closest pass, primarily by the Catalina Sky Survey. Due to ongoing government shutdowns, NASA has not issued a formal statement, but observation data indicate the asteroid traveled over Antarctica during its flyby.

Space observatories tracked the asteroid, with the Minor Planet Center reporting its detection shortly after closest approach. The Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) estimates the flyby occurred at a distance of roughly 4,213 miles (6,780 km) from Earth’s center, corresponding to about 262 miles (423 km) above the surface, considering Earth’s radius.

NASA routinely monitors the skies for potentially hazardous asteroids larger than 150 meters. While some objects are classified as “potentially hazardous,” current searches have not identified any imminent threats. Smaller objects like 2025 TF are more challenging to detect but are often spotted during regular observations as technology improves and telescopic networks expand.