Close approach
Saltwater crocodile-sized asteroid 2026 RB39
1.0 LD · ~6 m
1.0 LD
lunar distances from Earth
384,400 km
distance from Earth’s center
3–10 m
estimated diameter
Saltwater crocodile
roughly the size of
2026 RB39 · ~6 mSaltwater crocodile · 6 m long
10 m
Drawn to scale.
Silhouette: Steven Traver, PhyloPic (CC0)
2026 RB39 passes about 1.0× the distance to the Moon from Earth (384,400 km). It is 3–10 m across (estimated). If a rock this size hit Earth, it would burn up as a bright fireball high in the atmosphere; at most, small meteorites reach the ground. Astronomers spot one this size passing inside the Moon's orbit about 100 times a year, and many more pass unseen. This is a routine close approach with no known impact risk.
For the background, read Impact risk in Asteroids.
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