Asteroid 2026 KT flew past Earth at 0.42 LD on May 17, 2026

Asteroid 2026 KT flew past Earth at 17:13 UTC on May 17, 2026. The nominal geocentric distance at closest approach was 0.42 lunar distances (LD) / 0.00108 astronomical units (AU), equivalent to approximately 162 000 km (101 000 miles) from Earth’s center. This flyby occurred outside Earth’s radius and posed no impact threat.

The estimated absolute magnitude (H) of 30.796 suggests 2026 KT was a small object, likely only a few meters in diameter. The relative velocity at close approach was 5.25 km/s (3.26 mi/s), which is comparatively slow for near-Earth objects of this class.

Asteroid 2026 KT belongs to the Apollo orbital class, with an orbital eccentricity of 0.237 and a semi-major axis of 1.32 AU. Its perihelion distance is 1.01 AU, and its orbital inclination is 6.68°. These parameters indicate a modestly eccentric orbit tilted just under 7 degrees relative to the ecliptic plane. The aphelion distance, or maximum distance from the Sun, is 1.64 AU, and the object’s mean motion is 0.647° per day.

There are no direct physical parameters such as albedo reported. Asteroid 2026 KT is not classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) due to its small size and close-approach criteria.

2026 KT was observed on a single day, with the first and last observation both on May 17, 2026, indicating an extremely short observation arc. The orbit solution carries a condition code of 9, meaning its trajectory is considered highly uncertain and 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. 2026 KB flew past Earth at 0.60 LD at 15:15 UTC on May 18, 2026. 2026 KQ flew past Earth at 0.47 LD at 08:02 UTC on May 18, 2026. 2026 KD flew past Earth at 0.32 LD at 07:29 UTC on May 17, 2026. 2026 JN4, a particularly small asteroid, entered Earth’s atmosphere at 13:44 UTC on May 15, 2026, based on its nominal CNEOS close-approach geometry.