Asteroid the size of two buses will pass close to Earth

Estimates suggest that the celestial body named 2026 JH2 will reach a distance of 91,593 kilometers from the planet, much smaller than the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

According to the ESA website, the closest point to the planet will be less than a fifth of the distance from the Moon. The element is between 14 and 30 meters in diameter.

What time does asteroid 2026 JH2 pass close to Earth and what are the risks of a collision?

Asteroid 2026 JH2 is expected to pass close to the planet around 6:23 pm this Monday (Brasília time). It should also get closer to the Moon.

According to ESA, despite the relative proximity, the chances of an impact with Earth are estimated at zero. The celestial body should also not affect communication systems such as GPS and the internet during this period.

“This small object is passing remarkably close to Earth, much closer than the Moon, but this type of approach occurs relatively frequently, almost annually on average,” said Juan Luis Cano from ESA’s Planetary Defense Office.

An object at least ten times larger than 2026 JH2, dubbed Apophis, is predicted to come much closer to the planet on April 13, 2029.

With an average diameter of approximately 375 meters, it can reach a distance of just 32 thousand kilometers from Earth.