A newly discovered near-Earth asteroid known as 2026 JH2 is set to make an unusual flyby of Earth on May 18, according to orbital data tracked by NASA and astronomers monitoring near-Earth objects.
The asteroid, estimated to be roughly the size of a school bus, was discovered just days before its approach, making it one of the most closely watched small-body encounters this month. While the object poses no threat of colliding with Earth, its path would bring it remarkably close astronomically, giving astronomers and amateur skywatchers a rare opportunity to observe a newly discovered asteroid as it passes close to Earth.
What is asteroid 2026 JH2?
Asteroid 2026 JH2 is classified as a near-Earth Apollo-type asteroid, which means that its orbit crosses the Earth’s orbital path around the Sun. The object was identified by observatories including the Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona, part of the global network dedicated to detecting potentially dangerous objects in space.Preliminary observations suggest the asteroid is approximately 16 to 35 meters in diameter, although scientists caution that early size estimates could change as additional observations of the object’s brightness, shape and reflectivity improve.
At the lower end, the asteroid’s size would be comparable to a large bus, while larger estimates put it closer to the height of a multi-storey building.
How close is the asteroid to Earth?
According to data from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, asteroid 2026 JH2 is expected to pass Earth at a distance of about 0.0006 astronomical units (AU). This translates to approximately 90,000 kilometers from Earth, or about a quarter of the average distance between Earth and the Moon.Although this seems alarmingly close, astronomers confirm that the asteroid will safely miss the planet. However, in cosmological terms, the flyby is very close, especially for an object that was discovered shortly before its encounter.The asteroid is also expected to pass relatively close to the Moon before continuing its orbit around the Sun.
Why are astronomers interested in flybys?
Close asteroid encounters such as this provide valuable opportunities for planetary defense research and orbital analysis.
Because 2026 JH2 was discovered shortly before it approached Earth, astronomers are rapidly collecting new observations to improve calculations of its path and physical properties.Scientists use these encounters to better understand how small near-Earth asteroids move through space, how sunlight affects their orbits over time, and how accurate current detection systems are in identifying objects approaching Earth.Such flights also help improve global asteroid tracking systems designed to detect truly hazardous objects much earlier in the future.
Will the asteroid be visible from Earth?
The asteroid’s brightness is expected to increase to about 11.5 degrees during its closest approach. It is too faint to be seen with the naked eye, but may become visible through modest amateur telescopes under dark-sky conditions.Astronomy organizations, such as the Virtual Telescope Project, are also expected to live stream flyby observations to viewers around the world.Many small asteroids are discovered only days or weeks before they pass near Earth because of their relatively small size and faint brightness. Large planetary defense programs constantly scan the skies for such objects, but smaller asteroids may still be difficult to detect until they approach the inner solar system.Most near-Earth asteroids discovered in this way do not pose any danger. Instead, they serve as a reminder of the enormous number of rocky objects moving through the solar system, and the importance of ongoing observing efforts by agencies like NASA and observatories around the world.
