First Discovered Near-Earth Asteroid, 433 eros, to Pass Earth at 60 million Kilometers – Here’s How to Watch
Skywatchers will have a chance to observe a piece of space history this weekend as 433 Eros, the first near-Earth asteroid ever discovered, makes a close approach to our planet. On Sunday, November 30, 2025, Eros will pass within approximately 60 million kilometers (37.2 million miles) - or 0.4 astronomical units – of Earth, a safe distance offering a rare viewing chance.
Discovered in 1898, the initial identification of Eros is credited to German astronomer Gustav Witt and his assistant, felix Linke, at the urania Observatory in Berlin, who first published their findings. Auguste Charlois at the Nice Observatory in France also independently identified the asteroid around the same time. This makes Eros historically significant as the very first near-Earth asteroid to be documented, a fact recognized by Guinness World Records.
The asteroid, measuring roughly 34 × 11 × 11 kilometers (~21 × 6.8 × 6.8 miles), will appear near the Andromeda Galaxy, shining brightly enough to be visible through a modest 60 millimeter telescope for several weeks.
Humanity’s exploration of Eros extends beyond simple observation. In 1998, NASA launched the NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) Shoemaker spacecraft to study the asteroid. By February 14, 2000 – a fitting date given the asteroid’s namesake, the Greek god of love - the probe became the first to orbit an asteroid, entering Eros’s gravitational influence.
The mission continued to break ground in 2001 with the first-ever successful landing on an asteroid surface. Remarkably,the Shoemaker probe survived the landing and continued to operate,conducting the first gamma-ray experiment from the surface of a body other than Earth. This allowed scientists to gather detailed information about the asteroid’s composition.
for those unable to view Eros directly, the Virtual Telescope Project and the Asteroid Foundation will be livestreaming the event on November 30th at 8pm UTC (3pm EST) at virtualtelescope.eu.
More information about 433 Eros can be found on the NASA website: science.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/433-eros/.
