NASA Tracks 140-Foot Asteroid During Close Flyby of Earth Overnight

An airplane-sized asteroid is sweeping past Earth in the early hours of March 15, joining a busy week for near-Earth object watchers. Asteroid 2007 EG, estimated at about 140 feet wide, is making its closest approach at a distance of roughly 1,060,000 miles, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The space agency confirms the object poses no threat to the planet.

A Swift and Safe Flyby

The asteroid belongs to the Aten group, a class of near-Earth objects whose orbits cross Earth's path around the sun. According to data from the European Space Agency's Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre, the closest approach is occurring at approximately 02:25 UTC on March 15. The rock is traveling at roughly 17,379 miles per hour, fast enough to cross the continental United States in less than 10 minutes.

At about 1.06 million miles, 2007 EG will pass at roughly four and a half times the average distance between Earth and the moon. NASA classifies an asteroid as potentially hazardous only if it passes within about 4.6 million miles and measures more than 150 meters (approximately 460 feet) across. Asteroid 2007 EG falls well short of both thresholds.

A Crowded Week in Near-Earth Space

The flyby comes amid a particularly active stretch for planetary defense monitors. Earlier this week, a newly discovered bus-sized asteroid designated 2026 EG1 passed within about 198,000 miles of Earth — closer than the moon — late on March 12, according to NASA. That object, estimated at roughly 40 feet wide and traveling at over 21,500 miles per hour, was detected only on March 8.

NASA's asteroid watch dashboard shows several additional objects approaching Earth this week, including 2026 EC1 on March 15 and 2026 ET2 on March 16.

Keeping Watch on the Skies:

Scientists say each close flyby offers valuable data for refining trajectory models and strengthening planetary defense systems. NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies currently tracks more than 41,000 near-Earth asteroids and has predicted that no major asteroid strike capable of causing serious damage will occur in the next 100 years. Upcoming tools, including the Vera Rubin Observatory's advanced survey instruments, are expected to accelerate the discovery of previously unknown objects, giving researchers more time to assess potential risks.