Asteroid 2026 HR5 flew past Earth at 0.70 LD on April 28, 2026

Asteroid 2026 HR5, a near-Earth object of the Apollo class, flew past Earth at a minimum distance of 0.70 lunar distances (LD), equivalent to 0.00178 AU (approximately 267 000 km / 166 000 miles) from our planet’s center at 11:46 UTC on April 28, 2026. The asteroid passed by with a relative velocity of 6.99 km/s.

Based on its absolute magnitude of 28.279, the estimated diameter of 2026 HR5 is approximately 10 m (33 feet), typical for small near-Earth objects detected by contemporary surveys.

2026 HR5 belongs to the Apollo group, characterized by orbits that cross Earth’s path. Its orbital parameters include an eccentricity of 0.405, a semi-major axis of 1.68 AU, and a perihelion distance of 1 AU. The inclination of its orbit is 5.04 degrees. These values place it among moderately eccentric and slightly inclined Apollo-type asteroids.

Physically, 2026 HR5 has not been classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA). Its small size and currently available observational data do not raise classification as a significant threat.

The asteroid was first observed on April 27, 2026, and last tracked on April 28, 2026, yielding a 1-day observation arc. The orbit determination carries a condition code of 6, indicating that the current orbit solution remains uncertain or preliminary and could be refined as more observations become available.

Several other near-Earth asteroids also made recent flybys within 1 lunar distance. Notably, asteroid 2026 HZ4 passed at 0.08 LD (12 000 km / 7 500 miles) at 12:13 UTC on April 24, 2026, and asteroid 2026 HZ2 approached at 0.22 LD (33 000 km / 20 500 miles) at 16:31 UTC on April 23, 2026. These objects, though smaller in size (less than 10 m / 33 feet), underscored the ongoing monitoring of small bodies in Earth’s vicinity.