Asteroid 2026 JD1 will fly past Earth at 0.82 LD on May 11, 2026

On May 11, 2026, at 12:04 UTC, asteroid 2026 JD1 will make a close approach to Earth, passing at a distance of 0.82 lunar distances (LD) or 0.0021 AU, which equals approximately 315 000 km (195 732 miles) from Earth’s center. The asteroid will travel at a relative velocity of 14.2 km/s during its closest approach.

Asteroid 2026 JD1 has an absolute magnitude (H) of 27.28, indicating an estimated diameter between 10 and 24 m (33 to 79 feet), depending on assumed reflectivity.

2026 JD1 belongs to the Apollo class of near-Earth asteroids. Its orbit exhibits a high eccentricity of 0.636, with a semi-major axis of 2.35 AU and a perihelion distance of 0.856 AU. The inclination of its orbit is 0.27 degrees, placing it near the ecliptic plane. The asteroid completes an orbit around the Sun every ~1 310 days (3.6 years).

No detailed albedo measurement or surface composition is available at this time. Its absolute magnitude and small size indicate that it is not classified as potentially hazardous.

2026 JD1 was first observed on May 8, 2026, and last observed on May 9, 2026, resulting in a very short observation arc. The current orbit solution carries a condition code of 8, suggesting the trajectory is still uncertain and may be refined as further data becomes available.

Other recent close approaches within 1 lunar distance include asteroid 2026 JO, which passed Earth at 0.35 LD at 05:04 UTC on May 9, 2026, and asteroid 2026 HR5, which passed at 0.69 LD at 11:46 UTC on April 28, 2026. The largest object among recent events was 2026 HR5, estimated at 7 to 16 m (23 to 52 feet) in diameter.