Newly discovered asteroid to pass closer to Earth than the moon on Monday

SpaceNewly discovered asteroid to pass closer to Earth than the moon on MondayAstronomers did not know about the space rock until about a week ago.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00An illustration depicting asteroids passing by Earth.Pierre Carril / NASAShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 18, 2026, 5:30 PM EDTBy Denise ChowA newly discovered asteroid estimated to be about 62 feet wide will zoom near Earth on Monday, though it is not expected to pose a threat to the planet. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The asteroid, officially known as 2026 JH2, will come within about 57,000 miles of Earth, according to the European Space Agency — a distance much closer than that of the moon. The moon is, on average, 238,855 miles from Earth.The asteroid was discovered on May 10 by astronomers with the Mount Lemmon Survey, an astronomical project based in Arizona’s Santa Catalina Mountains.It is rare for an object of this size to make such a close flyby of Earth, though not unprecedented.The space rock will reach its closest approach around 6 p.m. ET, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which maintains a database of the physical characteristics and orbits of most known natural objects in the solar system. As that happens, the asteroid is expected to reach its peak brightness and may be visible to amateur astronomers with small telescopes.NASA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.A map showing asteroid 2026 JH2's path through space.Near-Earth Objects Coordination Centre / ESAThe Virtual Telescope Project, a website run by Italy’s Bellatrix Astronomical Observatory that broadcasts views from several telescopes, is streaming the flyby live online.Many asteroids smaller than this one frequently pass by the planet unnoticed, while some others streak through Earth’s atmosphere as bright fireballs in the sky.The famous Chelyabinsk meteor is the largest space rock known to have...