Asteroid To Pass Near Earth Faster Than The Speed Of Sound, Should We Worry?

We

often wonder how calm the space might feel. But the celestial bodies are often not resting like they seem from Earth. There are times when giant rocks could pass closer to Earth than many satellites revolving around our planet. Today (May 18, 2026), one such rock, asteroid 2026 JH2 will make a close flyby of Earth. While the distance could possibly sound concerning, scientists note that there is nothing to be worried about. This asteroid was discovered by astronomers at the Mount Lemmon Observatory in Tucson, Arizona on May 10, 2026. The discovery is a part of the Catalina Sky Survey, a programme that has been dedicated to spotting near-Earth objects before they turn out to be alarming.

What Is Asteroid 2026 JH2?

The Asteroid 2026 JH2 is calculated to be around 15 and 35 metres wide. In simple words, it is estimated to be only slightly longer than a standard cricket pitch. Astronomers classify it as an Apollo asteroid. It is a type of near-Earth object whose orbit around the Sun crosses Earth’s orbit. Scientists compare it to two roads that intersect at different times. Notably, the timing is what prevents a crash. The asteroid is also similar in size to the Chelyabinsk meteor that exploded in Russia 13 years ago. This asteroid injured nearly 1500 people after a shockwave shattered windows across the region.

How Close Will It Come?

As per the scientists, this asteroid will make its closest approach at around 9:53 PM IST today. It is likely to be about 91,000 km away from Earth at that moment. If we simply compare, the Moon is around 3,84,000 km away, meaning the asteroid will pass at about one-quarter of the Earth-Moon distance. This object is travelling at nearly 9.14 km per second, or roughly 33,000 km per hour.

This asteroid will not be visible to the naked eye. For now, astronomers note that this is merely a rare cosmic visitor passing safely by. Perhaps, these moments from space make them fascinating, reminding us about what lies above the Earth in deep darkness.