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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →NASA’s September 30, 2026 release of Eyes on Asteroids reports 42,580 near-Earth objects and adds two ways to examine close approaches and past impacts. The count belongs to that release, not a fixed total: catalog numbers change over time.
What changed in the September 2026 update?
NASA’s release notes, published October 5, 2026, say the update added an Impact tab for objects that struck Earth and a Watch button for qualifying close approaches. NASA reports 42,580 near-Earth objects (NEOs) in this version. NASA’s release notes
Watch selected upcoming approaches
The Watch button appears for an upcoming approach only when the object comes within 0.05 astronomical units (AU) of Earth. NASA gives that distance as 7,479,894 kilometers (4,647,790 miles). It is a display filter for the interface; the release notes do not identify the threshold as a danger level.
The 3D view covers only the next ten years, which NASA says is intended to keep its representation accurate. An event beyond that window will not appear there. The new Impact tab and Watch button can also show incidents involving objects that actually hit Earth in the past. NASA’s release notes
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What is Eyes on Asteroids?
Eyes on Asteroids is an interactive 3D visualization for exploring asteroids, comets, their approaches to Earth, and space missions. It uses orbit data from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), which computes high-precision NEO orbits in support of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office. JPL describes the interface as a way to view objects in real time, review the next five close approaches, and explore past, present, and future missions. JPL’s Eyes on Asteroids page
How to open and use the 3D view
NASA describes Eyes as a browser-based suite. Its 2021 overview said no download was required and listed smartphones, tablets, and computers with internet access. NASA’s educational catalog likewise lists the activity as free to learners and usable in a regular browser on an internet-connected device. NASA’s 2021 overview · NASA’s educational catalog
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- Open NASA Eyes on Asteroids in a browser on an internet-connected device.
- Explore the 3D visualization to see asteroids, comets, Earth approaches, and mission activity.
- For a qualifying upcoming approach, select Watch to view it in the interface. The button is limited to approaches within 0.05 AU and to the next ten years.
- To examine a past Earth impact, use the Impact tab.
How to interpret the close-approach view
A close approach in Eyes is a visualization of an object’s passage near Earth, not by itself a statement that the object will hit Earth or pose a hazard. The 0.05 AU condition tells you which approach events receive the Watch control; NASA’s update note does not say that crossing this threshold indicates danger. Eyes helps people explore objects and orbits, but the cited product descriptions do not establish it as a replacement for formal hazard monitoring.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why NASA built it as an exploration tool
In a 2021 NASA/JPL article, Jason Craig, technical producer of JPL’s Visualization Technology Applications and Development team, described the design aim: “We wanted Eyes on Asteroids to be as user-friendly as possible while telling the stories about humanity’s exploration of these fascinating objects.” That is the team’s stated goal, rather than an independent usability assessment. NASA/JPL’s 2021 article
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