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NASA Tracking Plane-Sized Asteroid Approaching Earth Tomorrow
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. NASA is monitoring a large near- Earth asteroid roughly the size of a passenger jet that is set to make a close approach to Earth on Friday, August 7 .
The object, designated 2026 OE1, is estimated to measure about 180 feet (55 meters) across and will pass Earth at a distance of approximately 1.82 million miles (2.93 million kilometers), according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) .
While considered a relatively close pass in astronomical terms, the asteroid poses no threat to the planet .
NASA tracks thousands of near-Earth objects (NEOs), including asteroids and comets whose orbits bring them into Earth's cosmic neighborhood. Through its Asteroid Watch dashboard, the agency provides regular updates on objects expected to pass within 4.6 million miles of Earth.
According to the latest data from JPL, asteroid 2026 OE1 is the last of five close approaches that have been monitored by the agency.
Despite headlines that often accompany asteroid flybys, NASA's calculations show the object will remain safely distant from Earth. At 1.82 million miles away, the asteroid will pass more than seven times further away than the Moon, which orbits Earth at an average distance of about 239,000 miles .
Near-Earth objects are asteroids and comets with orbits that bring them within about 120 million miles of the Sun, allowing them to occasionally pass near Earth's orbit. Most are harmless and never come particularly close to the planet.
NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) continuously calculates the trajectories of known objects and assesses any potential impact risks. As additional observations are collected, scientists can refine orbital predictions and determine where an object will be years or even decades into the future.
2026 OE1 is not the only object making a close approach.
NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard currently lists several asteroids expected to pass Earth this week, including:
Alongside these, the 2024 RM10, measuring about 75 feet (23 meters), recently passed Earth—on August 5—at a distance of 3.23 million miles.
NASA's monitoring efforts are part of a broader planetary defense strategy designed to identify potentially hazardous asteroids long before any possible impact.
The agency defines potentially hazardous objects as asteroids larger than roughly 460 feet (140 meters) whose orbits can bring them within 4.6 million miles of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Scientists stress that asteroid 2026 OE1 does not fall into a category of immediate concern.
Still, each close approach provides researchers with valuable opportunities to improve tracking methods, refine orbital calculations, and better understand the population of objects traveling through the inner solar system.
For now, skywatchers can rest easy. While the 55-meter asteroid is large enough to attract NASA's attention, the agency's calculations show it will make a safe pass by Earth tomorrow with no risk of impact.
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