Don’t Panic, but NASA Is Tracking a Bus-Sized Asteroid Heading Towards Earth

A massive asteroid is heading towards Earth, and scientists say there is nothing that can be done to stop it. While that sounds like the plot of a hit action movie from the 1990s, it's also the reality for those living on our planet. But, unlike the movies, this asteroid will remain far enough away that we won't have to worry about any near-Earth collisions.

Still, the details surrounding the asteroid, including the size and just how close it will pass, make it an interesting one to observe.

And, according to NASA experts, it's not even the only noteworthy space rock passing by our planet in September 2025. In fact, it sounds like outer space is going to be very busy as September comes to an end.

You can learn more about the massive asteroid headed towards Earth below, including what other flying debris has NASA's attention.

According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), a 23-foot-wide asteroid with the nickname 2021 R16 will pass within 2.41 million miles of Earth. Data shared by CNEOS shows the asteroid passing by during the evening of Sept. 23, 2025.

According to the Space Reference website, this is considered an Apollo-class asteroid, which is the term for asteroids whose paths take them into the Earth's orbit.

There are approximately 18,232 Apollo-class Asteroids being tracked in the database, which the organization says consists of 1,302,506. That means that this type of asteroid is rare, and only makes up 1.4 percent of the total tracked asteroids.

But, rare doesn't mean dangerous, and the asteroid isn't expected to collide with the planet on this trip, or any of the future trips which experts say will bring it back our way in the years 2131, 2134, and 2137.

While it's always a little nerve-wracking to hear an asteroid hurtling towards Earth, it's not always a reason to sound the alarm. In fact, Newsweek reports that NASA has its eyes on a few other space rocks zooming around out there. These include a 660-foot-wide asteroid called 2022 SW12 and a 21-foot one known as 2025 SP3, both of which passed by Earth in the early hours of Sept. 23, 2025.

Then there are the asteroids that haven't even gotten here yet, including a 420-foot-wide one.

NASA is also monitoring 2025 SR3, which is also expected to pass by at some point on September 23, 2025.

Asteroids — which are made from rocky materials that were left from when the solar system was formed some 4.6 billion years ago — come and go all the time. And while some of them will come close (although, 2.41 million miles may not sound close) the chances of one hitting our planet are relatively low.

NASA reported that "the highest impact probability NASA has ever recorded for an object of this size or larger" belongs to asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 3.1 percent chance of hitting Earth.

However, the organization later amended that prediction and concluded that the asteroid actually posed no threat, highlighting how little Earthlings should worry about passing asteroids.