A house-size asteroid designated 2026 GD will make a close pass of Earth on April 9, 2026, at 6:59 p.m. (2259 GMT). Discovered just days earlier on April 6, 2026, this asteroid measures approximately 16 meters (54 feet) in diameter and will pass 155,760 miles (250,000 km) from our planet.

During its approach, 2026 GD will come even closer to the moon, passing just 101,000 miles (163,750 km) from the lunar surface at 8:12 p.m. EDT. Despite its proximity, the asteroid poses no threat to the crew of the Artemis 2 lunar mission.

The cumulative impact probability for 2026 GD is calculated at 1/124,378 for orbits that will take it close to Earth between 2082 and 2124. This asteroid is expected to continue along a 644-day elliptical path beyond the orbit of Mars before returning towards the sun.

In related developments, a recent study published in Nature Astronomy revealed that all five nucleobases—adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil—were identified in a sample from asteroid Ryugu. This discovery marks the first time researchers have found these key molecules in roughly equal quantities in one location.

Lead researcher Toshiki Koga stated, “Detecting all five nucleobases in extraterrestrial materials shows that the full set of these key molecules can form in space.” He further noted that these molecules may have been common in the early solar system, potentially available for delivery to early Earth and other planetary bodies.

The components for all living things may have originated from space, as many researchers believe that the essential molecules for life were present in the nebula that formed our solar system. The implications of these findings could reshape our understanding of life’s origins.