Get ready for a close encounter with a potentially hazardous asteroid! On February 14, 2026, the asteroid (162882) 2001 FD58 came dangerously close to Earth, reaching a minimum distance of 6.5 million kilometers, 17 times the average distance from Earth to the Moon. But don't worry, it was completely safe! The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0 captured an image of this event the very next night.
The image, taken with a robotic telescope in Manciano, Italy, shows the asteroid as a bright, sharp dot of light, marked by a white arrow, while stars appear as long trails. At the time of imaging, the asteroid was already leaving, having passed Earth by more than a day earlier. This asteroid, measuring 470-1000 meters in size, reached its closest point to Earth on February 14, 2026, at 14:11 UTC, according to NASA/JPL data.
Despite its close approach, there was no risk to our planet. The Virtual Telescope Project invites you to explore more celestial wonders by supporting their work. Become a supporter and gain exclusive access to images of interstellar comets, including the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, and many other special pictures!
