Cosmic Close Calls: Asteroids, Comets, and Space Junk in Our Skies| S28E126, 127 & 128

In this episode of SpaceTime, we dive into a series of astonishing events that have unfolded in our skies and beyond, from asteroid near misses to spectacular comet sightings. Asteroid Near Miss: A Close Call for Earth Earlier this month, an undetected asteroid, now dubbed 2025 TF, zoomed past Earth at just 428 km above the surface—an altitude comparable to the International Space Station. Astronomers only detected the 3-meter-wide space rock six hours after its closest approach, raising concerns about the many other near misses that may go unnoticed. This segment explores the implications of such events and the effectiveness of current asteroid detection systems. Green Comets Light Up the Night Sky Sky watchers have been treated to the rare sight of two bright green comets streaking across the night sky. Both comets, thought to have originated from the Oort Cloud, are heating up as they approach the Sun, creating a coma and tails of gas that give them their characteristic color. This episode discusses the visibility of Comet C 2025 R2 Swan and Comet C 2025 A6 Lemon, including tips for amateur astronomers to catch a glimpse of these celestial visitors during the annual Orionid meteor shower. Chinese Space Junk Crashes in Australia In a startling incident, a piece of Chinese space debris has crashed in the remote outback of Western Australia. The smoldering wreckage, believed to be from the Jielong 3 rocket, was discovered by miners and has prompted an investigation by the Australian Space Agency. This segment highlights the ongoing issues surrounding space debris and the need for better management of defunct satellites and rocket stages. www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com ✍️ Episode References Astrobiology https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/astrobiology Nature Astronomy https://www.nature.com/nature-astronomy/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spacetime-your-guide-to-space-astronomy--2458531/support. Asteroid Near Miss: A Close Call for Earth Green Comets Light Up the Night Sky Chinese Space Junk Crashes in Australia