A Blue Whale-Sized Asteroid Will Pass Close to Earth on This Date

A newly discovered asteroid called 2026 JH2 is set to pass unusually close to Earth on Monday, May 18, 2026. The object is estimated to be up to 115 feet wide, roughly comparable to the length of a blue whale, and will fly past our planet at around 20,000 mph. Its closest approach is expected to be about 56,000 miles above Earth’s surface, which is far closer than the moon and even closer than some spacecraft.

That sounds dramatic, but scientists say there is zero chance the asteroid will hit Earth during this flyby. The event is still notable because an asteroid of this size rarely comes so close, and because observers may be able to watch it through telescopes or an online livestream.