How to Watch a House-Sized Asteroid Make an ‘Extremely Close’ Approach to Earth Today
An asteroid named 2026 JH2, comparable in size to a house, will pass within 57,000 miles of Earth today. This close encounter presents a unique opportunity for astronomers to observe the asteroid, which was first detected in May. The asteroid will reach its closest point around 5:58 p.m. ET, and viewers can watch the event live online.
- ▪Asteroid 2026 JH2 is between 46 and 98 feet wide.
- ▪It will make its closest approach to Earth at approximately 5:58 p.m. ET today.
- ▪The asteroid completes an orbit around the Sun every 3.76 years, reaching as far as Jupiter's orbit.
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| Publication time | Mon, 18 May 2026 16:10:59 +0000 |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
As asteroid the size of a house will pass within just 57,000 miles (92,000 kilometers) of Earth today. That’s less than a quarter of the average distance between our planet and the Moon. Don’t worry, this wayfaring space rock—named asteroid 2026 JH2—poses no threat to Earth, but this close encounter will allow astronomers to take a good look at it. The Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona first spotted the asteroid on May 10, so experts are still getting acquainted with it. Initial observations suggest 2026 JH2 is between 46 and 98 feet (14 and 30 meters) wide and will make its closest approach to Earth at approximately 5:58 p.m.
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