Asteroid 2026 JH2 Makes Safe Close Flyby of Earth
On May 18-19, 2026, near-Earth asteroid 2026 JH2 will pass safely within approximately 91,000 kilometers of Earth, marking the closest asteroid flyby of the year. Discovered recently by the Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona, the object measures 16-35 meters in diameter and poses no impact threat according to NASA. While invisible to the naked eye, it offers a valuable opportunity for scientific observation and public engagement through live streams hosted by the Virtual Telescope Project. The event underscores ongoing planetary defense monitoring efforts for smaller celestial bodies.
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Asteroid 2026 JH2 to Graze Earth Safely This Monday
Asteroid 2026 JH2, a near-Earth object discovered on May 10, 2026, by the Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona, is scheduled to pass close to Earth on Monday, May 18, 2026. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the asteroid will approach within approximately 95,000 kilometers of our planet, which is less than a quarter of the distance to the Moon. The rocky body, estimated to be between 16 and 35 meters in diameter (roughly the size of a basketball court), poses no threat to Earth. Experts note that objects of this size typically disintegrate in the atmosphere if they were to enter it. While invisible to the naked eye, the asteroid can be observed using small amateur telescopes under good conditions. The Virtual Telescope Project will host a live YouTube broadcast of the event. The late detection of the asteroid is attributed to its small size and faintness, which make such objects difficult to spot until they are relatively close to Earth.
Le SoirCricket Pitch-Sized Asteroid 2026 JH2 to Safely Fly Past Earth on May 18
On Monday, May 18, 2026, asteroid 2026 JH2 will make a close approach to Earth, passing at a distance of approximately 91,000 kilometers, which is about one-quarter of the distance to the Moon. Discovered just eight days prior by astronomers at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, the asteroid is estimated to be between 15 and 35 meters wide, comparable in size to a cricket pitch or the Chelyabinsk meteor that struck Russia in 2013. Despite its proximity and speed of nearly 33,000 kilometers per hour, scientists confirm there is no risk of collision. The object belongs to the Apollo class of near-Earth asteroids. While invisible to the naked eye with an apparent magnitude of 11.5, it can be observed through amateur telescopes in the constellation Ursa Major. The Virtual Telescope Project will stream the event live. This flyby highlights improvements in detection technology, with future observatories like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory expected to provide earlier warnings for similar objects. The event serves as a scientific opportunity to study asteroid characteristics without spacecraft missions.
India Today | Latest StoriesAsteroid 2026 JH2 to Graze Earth Safely This Monday
Asteroid 2026 JH2, discovered recently on May 10, 2026, by the Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona, is scheduled to pass close to Earth on Monday, May 18, 2026. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the near-Earth asteroid will come within approximately 95,000 kilometers of our planet, which is less than a quarter of the distance to the Moon. Despite the close approach, experts confirm there is no danger of impact. The asteroid measures between 16 and 35 meters in diameter, roughly the size of a basketball court. Objects of this size typically disintegrate in the atmosphere if they enter it, causing minimal to no ground damage. Its small size contributed to its late detection, as such bodies reflect little sunlight until they are relatively close. While invisible to the naked eye, the asteroid can be observed using small amateur telescopes under good conditions. Additionally, the Virtual Telescope Project will host a live YouTube broadcast, allowing the public to watch the flyby in real time. The event highlights the challenges in detecting smaller near-Earth objects before their closest approach.
Le SoirLive Stream of Asteroid 2026 JH2 Flyby Scheduled for May 18
A newly discovered near-Earth asteroid, designated 2026 JH2, is scheduled to make a close flyby of Earth on May 18, 2026. Discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona on May 10, the asteroid is estimated to be between 52 and 114 feet (16-35 meters) in diameter, roughly the size of an adult blue whale. It will pass within approximately 56,628 miles (91,135 kilometers) of Earth, which is about 24% of the average Earth-Moon distance, traveling at speeds of 19,417 mph. The Virtual Telescope Project, led by Gianluca Masi, will host a free live stream starting at 3:45 p.m. EDT from robotic telescopes in Manciano, Italy. The broadcast aims to capture the asteroid as a sharp dot of light moving against the starry background, peaking at magnitude 11.5. Officials confirm that 2026 JH2 poses no threat to Earth or the Moon during this encounter. The event offers astronomy enthusiasts a real-time opportunity to observe the celestial object using advanced tracking technology, weather permitting.
Latest from Space.comBasketball Court-Sized Asteroid to Graze Earth This Monday
Asteroid 2026 JH2, estimated to be between 16 and 35 meters in diameter, is scheduled to pass approximately 95,000 kilometers from Earth on Monday, May 18, 2026. Discovered recently on May 10 by the Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona, the late detection is attributed to the object's small size and faintness. Classified as a near-Earth asteroid, its orbit intersects with Earth's, but NASA confirms it poses no threat. Objects of this size typically disintegrate in the atmosphere if they enter it. The flyby will occur within the lunar orbit but well above geostationary satellites. While invisible to the naked eye, amateur astronomers with telescopes can observe it under good conditions. The Virtual Telescope Project will host a live YouTube broadcast of the event. This passage highlights the challenges in detecting smaller celestial bodies before they approach Earth closely.
Le SoirBlue-Whale-Sized Asteroid 2026 JH2 to Fly Close to Earth on Monday
A newly discovered asteroid, designated 2026 JH2, is scheduled to make an unusually close approach to Earth on Monday, May 18. Discovered on May 10 by astronomers at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, the space rock is estimated to be up to 115 feet (35 meters) wide, comparable in size to a blue whale or the Chelyabinsk meteor. Traveling at approximately 20,000 mph, the asteroid will pass at an altitude of about 56,000 miles, coming closer than some operational satellites like TESS, though NASA confirms there is zero risk of impact. The event offers a rare opportunity for observation; while visible through telescopes at magnitude 11.5, the Virtual Telescope Project will provide a public livestream from Italy. This flyby highlights ongoing planetary defense monitoring, drawing comparisons to future close approaches by larger asteroids such as 99942 Apophis in 2029 and 2024 YR4 in 2032, both of which also pose no current threat but remain under scientific scrutiny.
Latest from Live ScienceBlue-Whale-Sized Asteroid 2026 JH2 to Fly Close to Earth on Monday
A newly discovered asteroid, designated 2026 JH2, is scheduled to make a close approach to Earth on Monday, May 18. Discovered on May 10 by astronomers at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, the space rock is estimated to be up to 115 feet (35 meters) wide, comparable in size to a blue whale or the Chelyabinsk meteor. Traveling at approximately 20,000 mph, the asteroid will pass at an altitude of around 56,000 miles, which is closer than some operational satellites like TESS, though NASA confirms there is no risk of collision. The event offers a rare opportunity for observation, as the asteroid is expected to reach a brightness magnitude of 11.5, making it visible through telescopes or binoculars. For those without equipment, the Virtual Telescope Project will broadcast a live stream of the flyby from Italy. This event highlights ongoing planetary defense monitoring, drawing comparisons to future close approaches by larger asteroids such as Apophis in 2029 and 2024 YR4 in 2032, both of which have been ruled out as impact threats.
Latest from Live ScienceAsteroid 2026 JH2 to Pass Close to Earth on May 18-19, 2026
On the night of May 18-19, 2026, asteroid 2026 JH2 is scheduled to pass exceptionally close to Earth, marking a significant astronomical event monitored by the scientific community. The moment of closest approach is estimated to occur at 00:23 Romanian time on May 19, when the asteroid will be approximately 91,135 kilometers from Earth's center, or about 84,757 kilometers above the surface. This distance is considered small on a cosmic scale, making it the closest known asteroid flyby of the year. The object, classified as a Near-Earth Object (NEO), was discovered by the Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona. Experts estimate its diameter to be between 16 and 35 meters. Adrian Șonka, an astronomer at the Amiral Vasile Urseanu Astronomical Observatory in Bucharest, highlighted the event's importance for studying the dynamics of the Solar System. Due to the asteroid's relatively small size and distance, it remains difficult to observe without specialized equipment, but the flyby offers a valuable opportunity for researchers to analyze near-Earth objects and improve understanding of their orbital behaviors.
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