In October 2023, astronomers, utilizing the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii, discovered a bus-sized asteroid heading towards Earth. Designated as 2023 WA, the asteroid safely passed our planet at a distance of approximately 67,500 km, less than one-fourth the distance to the Moon. With a diameter ranging from 6 to 18 meters, it is comparable to the asteroid that caused an atmospheric event over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013.

The asteroid was not visible to the naked eye and had no impact on Earth during its flyby. The incident highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and tracking of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) for potential threats. Earlier in the same year, another asteroid the size of an airplane and one the size of a bus also passed Earth at a distance smaller than the Moon's orbit, emphasizing the dynamic nature of celestial objects near Earth.

NASA maintains the Jet Propulsion Laboratory website, offering information about the five nearest asteroids approaching Earth, serving as a valuable resource for scientists and astronomy enthusiasts. Most of these approaches are much farther than the distance to the Moon.

The flyby of asteroid 2023 WA sparked public interest, with discussions and observations shared on social media. These engagements reflect the growing global interest in cosmic phenomena and the accessibility of information about these events.