βοΈπ BREAKING SPACE WATCH: ASTEROID EXPECTED TO PASS INSIDE THE MOON'S ORBIT ON OCTOBER 31, 2026!
π SpaceTracker.space
SpaceTracker Astronomy Desk | October 27, 2026
π Earth's cosmic neighbourhood is entering an active observation period, with several known asteroids scheduled to make close approaches between October 28 and November 11.
One encounter stands out.
π¨ OCTOBER 31: ASTEROID 2025 UK9
According to published NASA/JPL-derived orbital predictions, asteroid 2025 UK9 is expected to pass approximately 314,648 km from Earth's centre, equivalent to just 0.82 lunar distances.
π Average EarthβMoon separation: 384,400 km
βοΈ Estimated asteroid size: approximately 4 metres
π Relative velocity: approximately 7.8 km/s
π Expected closest approach: October 31 at 02:35 UTC
This makes it the closest encounter identified in our selected two-week approach calendar.
Importantly, this is a predicted flyby, not an expected impact.
π OCTOBER 28: TWO ASTEROIDS APPROACH EARTH
NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard identifies two separate encounters:
βοΈ 2018 GS1: Estimated diameter near 104 metres, passing approximately 4.24 million km from Earth.
βοΈ 2026 UB1: Estimated diameter near 40 metres, passing approximately 3.67 million km away.
Both objects are expected to pass safely beyond the Moon's orbit.
π THE NEXT TWO WEEKS
Additional encounters include:
πͺ¨ October 29: 2022 UV21, approximately 5.65 million km
πͺ¨ October 30: 2026 UD, approximately 4.47 million km
π October 31: 2025 UK9, approximately 315,000 km
πͺ November 2: Zoozve, approximately 6.02 million km
βοΈ November 3: 2021 VC4, approximately 2.29 million km
π November 6: 2001 KF54, approximately 7.24 million km
π November 10: 2015 VH65, approximately 3.73 million km
β¨ November 11: 2023 VF3, approximately 3.24 million km
π§ WHY SCIENTISTS ARE WATCHING
Asteroids are remnants of planetary formation, preserving material that can reveal important information about the early Solar System.
Every close encounter offers opportunities to refine orbital calculations, improve near-Earth object detection and understand how small bodies move through the gravitational environment of our planet.
The closest asteroid is not necessarily the largest, and an asteroid passing nearer than the Moon does not automatically represent a collision hazard.
NASA/JPL continuously updates close-approach predictions as new observations become available.
π₯ SpaceTracker's accompanying visualization features NASA's Eyes on Asteroids simulation, showing Earth, orbital pathways and selected near-Earth objects moving through the Solar System.
The next major date to watch: October 31, 2026.
π Sources: NASA/JPL Asteroid Watch, CNEOS Close Approach Database and NASA/JPL-derived orbital listings.
π SpaceTracker.space
#SpaceTracker #AsteroidWatch #NASA #Asteroid #NearEarthObjects #SpaceNews #Astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #Earth #SolarSystem #ScienceNews
π SpaceTracker.space
SpaceTracker Astronomy Desk | October 27, 2026
π Earth's cosmic neighbourhood is entering an active observation period, with several known asteroids scheduled to make close approaches between October 28 and November 11.
One encounter stands out.
π¨ OCTOBER 31: ASTEROID 2025 UK9
According to published NASA/JPL-derived orbital predictions, asteroid 2025 UK9 is expected to pass approximately 314,648 km from Earth's centre, equivalent to just 0.82 lunar distances.
π Average EarthβMoon separation: 384,400 km
βοΈ Estimated asteroid size: approximately 4 metres
π Relative velocity: approximately 7.8 km/s
π Expected closest approach: October 31 at 02:35 UTC
This makes it the closest encounter identified in our selected two-week approach calendar.
Importantly, this is a predicted flyby, not an expected impact.
π OCTOBER 28: TWO ASTEROIDS APPROACH EARTH
NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard identifies two separate encounters:
βοΈ 2018 GS1: Estimated diameter near 104 metres, passing approximately 4.24 million km from Earth.
βοΈ 2026 UB1: Estimated diameter near 40 metres, passing approximately 3.67 million km away.
Both objects are expected to pass safely beyond the Moon's orbit.
π THE NEXT TWO WEEKS
Additional encounters include:
πͺ¨ October 29: 2022 UV21, approximately 5.65 million km
πͺ¨ October 30: 2026 UD, approximately 4.47 million km
π October 31: 2025 UK9, approximately 315,000 km
πͺ November 2: Zoozve, approximately 6.02 million km
βοΈ November 3: 2021 VC4, approximately 2.29 million km
π November 6: 2001 KF54, approximately 7.24 million km
π November 10: 2015 VH65, approximately 3.73 million km
β¨ November 11: 2023 VF3, approximately 3.24 million km
π§ WHY SCIENTISTS ARE WATCHING
Asteroids are remnants of planetary formation, preserving material that can reveal important information about the early Solar System.
Every close encounter offers opportunities to refine orbital calculations, improve near-Earth object detection and understand how small bodies move through the gravitational environment of our planet.
The closest asteroid is not necessarily the largest, and an asteroid passing nearer than the Moon does not automatically represent a collision hazard.
NASA/JPL continuously updates close-approach predictions as new observations become available.
π₯ SpaceTracker's accompanying visualization features NASA's Eyes on Asteroids simulation, showing Earth, orbital pathways and selected near-Earth objects moving through the Solar System.
The next major date to watch: October 31, 2026.
π Sources: NASA/JPL Asteroid Watch, CNEOS Close Approach Database and NASA/JPL-derived orbital listings.
π SpaceTracker.space
#SpaceTracker #AsteroidWatch #NASA #Asteroid #NearEarthObjects #SpaceNews #Astronomy #PlanetaryDefense #Earth #SolarSystem #ScienceNews
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