ASTEROIDS AND SIMILAR BODIES RECENT NEWS - May 11th to 20th, 2026

[Saulo Machado]

            

ASTEROIDS AND SIMILAR BODIES RECENT NEWS

May 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)

5/19 - Asteroid 2022 OB5 spins too fast for current prospectors, highlighting the divide between 'accessible' and 'exploitable'

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-asteroid-ob5-fast-current-prospectors.html

 

5/18 - New research examines how misinformation threatens planetary defense and public trust

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-misinformation-threatens-planetary-defense.html

 

5/18 - Is Earth's constant companion a stray asteroid or a chunk of the moon?

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-earth-constant-companion-stray-asteroid.html

 

5/18 - See a Lincoln Memorial-sized asteroid pass within just 56,000 miles of Earth today

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-a-lincoln-memorial-sized-asteroid-pass-within-just-56-000-miles-of-earth-today/

 

5/18 - Asteroid 2022 OB5 Spins Too Fast For Current Prospectors Highlighting the Divide Between "Accessible" and "Exploitable"

https://www.universetoday.com/articles/asteroid-2022-ob5-spins-too-fast-for-current-prospectors-highlighting-the-divide-between-accessible

 

5/18 - New Algorithm Cracks the Asteroid Routing Problem

https://www.universetoday.com/articles/new-algorithm-cracks-the-asteroid-routing-problem

 

5/16 - NASA's Psyche spacecraft is flying to a metal asteroid. So, why did it just visit Mars?

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/asteroid-comet-missions/nasas-psyche-spacecraft-is-flying-to-a-metal-asteroid-so-why-did-it-just-visit-mars

 

5/15 - Is Earth’s Constant Companion a Stray Asteroid or a Chunk of the Moon?

https://www.universetoday.com/articles/is-earths-constant-companion-a-stray-asteroid-or-a-chunk-of-the-moon

 

5/15 - NASA's Psyche asteroid probe will fly within 3,000 miles of Mars today: Here's what to expect

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/asteroid-comet-missions/nasas-psyche-asteroid-probe-will-fly-within-3-000-miles-of-mars-on-may-15-heres-what-to-expect

 

5/14 - No, this isn't a solar eclipse. It's an image of Mars, captured by NASA's asteroid-bound Psyche probe

https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/no-this-isnt-a-solar-eclipse-its-an-image-of-mars-captured-by-nasas-asteroid-bound-psyche-probe

 

5/14 - NASA’s Psyche mission is snapping photos of Mars on its way to an asteroid

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasas-psyche-mission-is-snapping-photos-of-mars-on-its-way-to-an-asteroid/

 

5/14 - Psyche mission to fly by Mars on May 15

https://earthsky.org/space/psyche-mission-fly-by-mars-may-15-2026-pics/

 

5/13 - Psyche Spacecraft Spies Mars Ahead of May 15th Gravitational Assist

https://www.universetoday.com/articles/psyche-spacecraft-spies-mars-ahead-of-may-15th-gravitational-assist

 

5/12 - Meerkat is Watching

https://www.universetoday.com/articles/meerkat-is-watching

 

5/11 - NASA’s Psyche probe is about to slingshot around Mars at 12,000 mph

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260510234707.htm

 

5/11 - Does Dante's Inferno from the 14th century depict an asteroid impact?

https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/does-dantes-inferno-from-the-14th-century-depict-an-asteroid-impact

 

(DUT)

5/18 - Deze asteroïde is pas vorige week ontdekt en scheert vanavond al langs de aarde: volg hem live

https://scientias.nl/deze-asteroide-is-pas-vorige-week-ontdekt-en-scheert-vanavond-al-langs-de-aarde-volg-hem-live/

 

(ESP)  

5/15 - La sonda Psyche de la NASA usará Marte como catapulta hacia un asteroide metálico

https://www.larazon.es/tecnologia-consumo/ciencia/sonda-psyche-nasa-usara-marte-como-catapulta-asteroide-metalico_202605156a06de90b5b066299610ffd3.html

 

5/12 - El telescopio espacial para vigilar objetos peligrosos cobra forma

https://noticiasdelaciencia.com/art/56906/el-telescopio-espacial-para-vigilar-objetos-peligrosos-cobra-forma

 

(FRE)

5/15 - « J'ai découvert une nouvelle pluie de météores, qui provient d'un astéroïde en train d'être désintégré par le Soleil »

https://www.futura-sciences.com/sciences/actualites/asteroides-jai-decouvert-nouvelle-pluie-meteores-provient-asteroide-train-etre-desintegre-soleil-133745/

 

(GER)

5/18 - Näher als der Mond: Asteroid 2026 JH2 im Anflug Richtung Erde

https://www.mdr.de/wissen/astronomie-raumfahrt/asteroid-naehert-sich-der-erde-jh-zwei-live-beobachten-100.html

 

5/17 - Marspassage von Psyche erfolgreich

https://www.spektrum.de/news/raumsonde-marspassage-von-psyche-erfolgreich/2325109

 

5/15 - Psyche holt Schwung

https://www.spektrum.de/news/kurs-auf-den-asteroidenguertel-psyche-holt-schwung/2324880

 

(ITA)

5/19 - L'asteroide 2026 JH2 ha salutato la Terra da 91mila chilometri VIDEO

https://www.ansa.it/canale_scienza/notizie/spazio_astronomia/2026/05/19/lasteroide-2026-jh2-ha-salutato-la-terra-da-91mila-chilometri-video_1e398756-c3d1-4fdd-85d0-a5a83967b348.html

 

5/17 - Dante e l’asteroide: la caduta di Lucifero come impatto cósmico

https://www.nextme.it/dante-e-lasteroide-la-caduta-di-lucifero-come-impatto-cosmico/

 

5/15 - Non è la Luna né un’eclissi: la foto mozzafiato scattata dalla sonda Psyche

https://www.meteoweb.eu/2026/05/non-e-la-luna-ne-uneclissi-la-foto-mozzafiato-scattata-dalla-sonda-psyche/1001933639/

 

5/15 - Sembra un'eclissi, ma è Marte: l'incredibile scatto della sonda Psyche

https://www.focus.it/scienza/spazio/sembra-un-eclissi-totale-ma-e-marte-l-incredibile-scatto-della-sonda-psyche

 

5/14 - Nuova importante tappa per Psyche, la sonda che ci dirà di più sull’origine dei pianeti

https://www.coelum.com/news/scontri-violenti-allorigine-del-sistema-solare-nuova-importante-tappa-per-psyche-la-sonda-che-ci-dira-di-piu-sullorigine-dei-pianeti

 

(POR)

5/19 - O inferno de Dante Alighieri pode retratar impacto de asteroide, defendem cientistas

https://www.inovacaotecnologica.com.br/noticias/noticia.php?artigo=inferno-dante-alighieri-impacto-planetario&id=010130260519

 

5/18 - Como a Nasa usou Marte de ‘impulso’ para alcançar asteroide de R$ 50 quintilhões

https://noticias.r7.com/internacional/como-a-nasa-usou-marte-de-impulso-para-alcancar-asteroide-de-r-50-quintilhoes-18052026/

 

5/16 - Não se preocupe (muito) com a possibilidade de asteroides atingirem a Terra

https://g1.globo.com/ciencia/noticia/2026/05/16/nao-se-preocupe-muito-com-a-possibilidade-de-asteroides-atingirem-a-terra.ghtml

 

5/15 - Como teria sido viver o apocalipse causado pelo asteroide que exterminou os dinossauros

https://g1.globo.com/ciencia/noticia/2026/05/15/como-teria-sido-viver-o-apocalipse-causado-pelo-asteroide-que-exterminou-os-dinossauros.ghtml

 

Asteroid missions schedule:

- July/26 – Tianwen arrives in Kamoʻoalewa

- July/26 – Hayabusa-2 Extended Mission - Flyby of 2001 CC21 (Torifune) - scheduled

- December/26 – Hera spacecraft arrives in Dimorphos.

- September/2027 – NEO Surveyor Telescope launch (planned)

- April/28 – Ramses launch to Apophis (planned)

- April/29 – OSIRIS-APEX arrives in Apophis

- August/29 – Psyche spacecraft arrives in Psyche

- July/31 - Hayabusa-2 Extended Mission - Rendezvous with 1998 KY26 - scheduled

 

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