ASTEROIDS AND SIMILAR BODIES RECENT NEWS - February 11th to 20th, 2026
Saulo Machado
ASTEROIDS AND SIMILAR BODIES RECENT NEWS
February 11th to 20th, 2026
Dear global community,
Here is a periodic compilation of recent news in some languages for the production of
lectures, conferences, podcasts/videocasts, reading circles, conversations, and
comparisons:
(ENG)
2/20 - Impact-formed glass provides evidence of cosmic collision in Brazil about 6 million years ago
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-impact-glass-evidence-cosmic-collision.html
2/19 - Europe's RAMSES Mission to Asteroid Apophis Moves Ahead
https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/europes-ramses-mission-to-asteroid-apophis-moves-ahead/
2/19 - Why some objects in space look like snowmen: Gravitational collapse may shed light on contact binaries
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-space-snowmen-gravitational-collapse-contact.html
2/19 - Our solar system is surrounded by weird peanut-shaped objects. Astronomers think they know why
2/18 - Hydrothermal System Helped Life Recover After Dino-Killing Asteroid
https://astrobiology.com/2026/02/hydrothermal-system-helped-life-recover-after-dino-
killing-asteroid.html
2/16 - Scientists Make a Game-Changing Find in the Bennu Asteroid
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/scientists-make-a-game-changing-find-in-the-
bennu-asteroid
2/15 - Chelyabinsk meteor: February 15, 2013
https://earthsky.org/space/chelyabinsk-meteor-exploded-over-russia-feb-15-2013/
2/12 - Can a nonprofit help protect Earth from dangerous asteroids? How the B612
Foundation has taken on the challenge
https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/can-a-nonprofit-help-protect-earth-from-
dangerous-asteroids-how-the-b612-foundation-has-taken-on-the-challenge
2/12 - Feb. 12, 2001: NEAR Shoemaker touches down on Eros
https://www.astronomy.com/today-in-the-history-of-astronomy/feb-12-2001-near-
shoemaker-touches-down-on-eros/
2/11 - Asteroid samples NASA brought to Earth suggest life's building blocks may be widespread in the universe
https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/asteroid-bennu-samples-nasa-transported-to-
earth-reveal-lifes-building-blocks-could-be-pretty-widespread
(DUT) - X -
(ESP)
2/18 - La NASA avisa de que no siempre pueden desviar el asteroide que se dirija a la
Tierra
https://quo.eldiario.es/ciencia/astro/q2602185192/la-nasa-avisa-de-que-no-siempre-
pueden-desviar-el-asteroide-que-se-dirija-a-la-tierra
(FRE) - X -
(GER) - X -
(ITA)
2/20 - Funzionari della NASA affermano che non possiamo fermare gli asteroidi vicino
2/15 - ESA assegna i contratti per la missione Ramses
https://www.astronautinews.it/2026/02/esa-assegna-i-contratti-per-la-missione-ramses/
(POR)
2/18 - Nasa alerta que a Terra está indefesa diante de milhares de asteroides “assassinos
de cidades”; não detectados
https://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/clima-e-ciencia/noticia/2026/02/18/nasa-alerta-que-a-
terra-esta-indefesa-diante-de-milhares-de-asteroides-assassinos-de-cidades-nao-
detectados.ghtml
2/12 - Europa dá sinal verde para missão que vai interceptar asteroide Apophis
https://futuroastronomo.com.br/europa-da-sinal-verde-para-missao-que-vai-interceptar-
asteroide-apophis/
Asteroid missions schedule:
- June/26 – Tianwen arrives in Kamoʻoalewa
- December/26 – Hera spacecraft arrives in Dimorphos.
- April/29 – OSIRIS-APEX arrives in Apophis
- August/29 – Psyche spacecraft arrives in Psyche
Keep your audience informed about asteroids and planetary defense, always guarding
them against misinformation and sensationalist news.
Register your event:
https://asteroidday.org/events/event-registration/add
Event report:
https://asteroidday.org/event-organizer-information/report-after-an-asteroid-day-event/
Best regards,
Saulo Machado
Global Event Coordinator