Asteroid 2026 KQ flew past Earth at 0.47 LD on May 18, 2026

Asteroid 2026 KQ, a newly discovered near-Earth object, flew past Earth at 08:02 UTC on May 18, 2026. The nominal geocentric distance at closest approach was 0.47 lunar distances (LD) / 0.00120 astronomical units (AU), which corresponds to approximately 179 000 km (111 220 miles) from Earth’s center.

The asteroid is estimated to be about 2 to 5 meters (6.6 to 16 feet) in diameter based on its absolute magnitude (H = 30.633). The relative velocity at close approach was 5.96 km/s (3.7 mi/s).

Asteroid 2026 KQ belongs to the Aten orbital class. Its orbit is moderately eccentric, with an eccentricity of 0.203 and a semi-major axis of 0.978 AU. The perihelion distance is 0.779 AU, and the inclination of its orbit is 1.2 degrees relative to the ecliptic. The asteroid’s aphelion distance is 1.18 AU, and its orbital period is approximately 353 days.

Based on current data from the JPL Small-Body Database, 2026 KQ is not classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA).

2026 KQ was first observed on May 19, 2026, with the last observation on the same day, indicating a very short observational arc. The current orbital solution has a condition code of 5, suggesting the trajectory is moderately certain but may be refined as additional observations or updated orbital solutions become available.

Other objects in the current 1 LD watchlist include 2026 JH2, which flew past Earth at 0.24 LD at 22:00 UTC on May 18, 2026. The object is estimated at 16 to 35 m (52 to 115 feet) in diameter. 2026 KD flew past Earth at 0.32 LD at 07:29 UTC on May 17, 2026, with an estimated size of 4 to 9 m (13 to 30 feet). 2026 JN4 entered Earth’s atmosphere at 0.00 LD at 13:44 UTC on May 15, 2026, with an estimated size of about 0.6 to 1.4 m (2.0 to 4.6 feet).