A newly discovered asteroid named 2026 JH2 is set to sweep past Earth this week, passing inside the orbit of the Moon on Monday. Astronomers say there is zero risk of impact.
The asteroid is thought to be between 16 and 35 metres wide, and it is expected to come within around 50,000 miles of Earth on Monday evening, about a quarter of the distance between Earth and the Moon. First spotted last week by the Mount Lemmon Survey, a project based at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, 2026 JH2 has been classified as a near-Earth asteroid.
That classification does not mean danger. In this case, it simply marks an object that comes close to our planet, and this one is not expected to hit Earth. The asteroid is too faint to be seen with the human eye, but it should be visible through a telescope from some parts of the world as it reaches its closest point.
The flyby is still likely to draw attention because 2026 JH2 is moving through a part of the sky that astronomers watch closely. Objects of this size can be difficult to spot until they are already near Earth, which is why surveys such as the one at Mount Lemmon matter. They give scientists a chance to identify and track asteroids before they pass by.
For skywatchers, the closest approach will come Monday evening, when the asteroid will be at its nearest point at roughly 50,000 miles away. For astronomers, the more important fact is the one they have already made clear: this asteroid is a close visitor, not a threat.
