Asteroid 2026 JH2 To Make Close Earth Flyby Today. How Near Will ...
2026 JH2 was discovered only days before its encounter, on May 10, by astronomers at the Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona
www.ndtv.comHere’s the latest on asteroid 2026 JH2 and its Earth flyby.
Answer in brief
- 2026 JH2 is a small near-Earth asteroid that made a very close, but safe, pass by Earth on May 18, 2026. Reports estimate a closest approach around 90,000 to 92,000 km (roughly 0.23–0.24 lunar distances), with no impact risk.[1][3][4]
- Observations indicate it is an Apollo-class object, likely 16–36 meters in diameter, brightening to around magnitude 12.8, making it observable with modest backyard telescopes during the encounter window.[4][1]
- Live visualizations and updates were provided by observatories and livestreams (e.g., Virtual Telescope Project) to watch the flyby in real time.[10][1]
What to know by category
Close approach details
- Closest distance: estimates place JH2 passing roughly 90,000–92,000 km from Earth during the May 18 event, well inside the Moon’s orbit distance but still a safe margin for a small body.[3][1]
- Time of closest approach: reports vary slightly by source but center around May 18, 2026, in the late UTC hours; observers could track and image the object as it swept past.[3][10]
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Size and type: JH2 is described as a small Apollo-class near-Earth object, with size estimates broadly in the tens of meters (roughly 16–36 m range) depending on albedo assumptions and observations.[2][1]
Hazard assessment
- The consensus across multiple outlets is that JH2 posed no credible impact threat for this encounter or the next century; the object’s estimated size and trajectory keep it well below any hazard threshold.[9][2]
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Some sources categorize it as a non-hazardous, small asteroid suitable for radar or optical follow-up but not a planetary defense risk.[2]
Visibility and records
- Visual observing: with a sufficient telescope, observers could reach around magnitude 12.8 near the flyby window, making a challenging but feasible target for amateur astronomers depending on local conditions.[1][10]
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Livestreams and outreach: live broadcasts were planned from institutes like the Virtual Telescope Project and other observatories to share real-time views of the flyby.[10][1]
How it was discovered and tracked
- Discovery timeline: 2026 JH2 was identified just days before its encounter, by surveys such as Mount Lemmon in Arizona and subsequent tracking allowed a short-arc orbit determination; this is typical for small, fast-moving near-Earth objects.[1][3]
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Orbit confidence: early condition codes indicated some uncertainty due to a short observation window, but subsequent data supported a safe flyby with no impact risk; updates emphasized the importance of short-arc observations for such small bodies.[4][2]
Illustrative note
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If you missed the event, many outlets posted summaries and some included live simulations of the flyby to help visualize the trajectory relative to Earth and the Moon’s distance.
Citations
- Latest reports and flyby specifics: Ground News article on 2026 JH2’s close pass and magnitude estimates.[1]
- Scientific snapshots and closest approach metrics: Astrophyzix summary with nominal miss distance and condition codes.[2]
- News coverage with official timings and viewing options: NDTV’s coverage of the May 18 flyby and live viewing details.[3]
- Additional corroborating reports and details: Live Science overview of the event and viewing opportunities.[10]
If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline (discovery to flyby) or generate a simple chart comparing distance vs. time using the data from these sources. I can also summarize local viewing conditions for Marseille to help you decide whether you could have observed it live.