The European Space Agency (ESA) has identified another asteroid, 2025 FA22, as a significant potential collision risk for Earth, ranking it among the top three hazards to the planet. With a size of 656 feet (200 metres) in diameter — approximately the same height as London’s Gherkin building or New York’s Trump Tower — the asteroid is set to approach Earth on September 19, 2089.
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Discovered on March 29, 2023, by the Pan-STARRS 2 telescope in Hawaii, 2025 FA22 has been assigned a risk rating above -3 on the Palermo Scale. The Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale is used to assess the likelihood of an asteroid or comet impacting Earth by combining the probability of impact with the potential energy released upon impact. Despite its rating, the asteroid’s score indicates that there is currently no cause for concern. It has also received a Torino Scale score of nearly 1, suggesting that it poses no immediate threat. Following a close pass on September 18, 2025, scientists will have a clearer understanding of the asteroid’s composition and trajectory.
Currently, there are 1,782 objects on the ESA’s “watchlist” for potential Earth impact. 2025 FA22 is ranked third on this list, behind 2023 VD3, expected between 2034 and 2098, and 2008 JL3, expected between 2027 and 2122. However, none of these asteroids currently poses a significant risk of collision with Earth.
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Asteroids such as Apophis, officially designated 99942 Apophis, and 2024 YR4 have also raised concerns. Apophis, discovered in 2004, is set to pass within 19,000 miles of Earth on April 13, 2029, closer than some satellites. While initial observations in 2004 indicated a possible 2.7% chance of impact, this has since been ruled out. Similarly, asteroid 2024 YR4 initially indicated a 3.1% chance of impact on December 22, 2032, but this risk has now been downgraded to nearly zero, leading to its removal from the ESA’s risk list.
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