ATLAS-Teide detects 10-meter asteroid passing close to Earth

The ATLAS-Teide planetary defense telescope, operated by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) at the Teide Observatory, detected a small asteroid that passed very close to Earth on August 12, 2026. The object, designated 2026 PC6, is about 10 meters in diameter and flew within 14,573 kilometers of the surface—less than one-twentieth of the distance to the Moon. It crossed the orbit of geostationary satellites, making it the closest asteroid encounter of 2026 Source: Clarin, Infobae.

Detection and trajectory

The asteroid was first spotted on August 11 as an unconfirmed candidate (provisional designation A11FyZe) and listed on the Minor Planet Center's near-Earth object confirmation page. After about a hundred positional measurements, its orbit was determined, ruling out any impact, and it received the official designation 2026 PC6 Source: Clarin. At closest approach, it moved at over two degrees per minute and reached magnitude 10, visible only from the Southern Hemisphere with small telescopes. There was never any risk of impact Source: Infobae.

Why it matters

Javier Licandro, principal investigator of ATLAS-Teide, emphasized that objects like 2026 PC6 are the system's top priority: small, dark, and fast-moving bodies that remain invisible until very close. Although such an asteroid would largely disintegrate in the atmosphere, producing a bright fireball, the shock wave could cause significant damage, as illustrated by the 2013 Chelyabinsk event in Russia Source: Clarin, Infobae. ATLAS-Teide, installed in January 2025 and operational since May, has discovered about twenty near-Earth asteroids and reported over 5,000 NEA positions Source: Infobae.

What's next

Licandro stressed that early detection is key to enabling protective measures. ATLAS-Teide's success with 2026 PC6 demonstrates its role in providing the earliest possible warning of potential impacts Source: Clarin.