Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 28,214,752 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
162421 (2000 ET70) is a small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2000 ET70 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2000 ET70 orbits the sun every 337 days (0.92 years), coming as close as 0.83 AU and reaching as far as 1.06 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2000 ET70 is probably between 0.574 to 1.282 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2000 ET70 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 8.95 hours.
Close Approaches
2000 ET70's orbit is 0.03 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
2000 ET70 has 24 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 22, 2024 | 28,214,752 | 11.838 |
| Aug. 4, 2024 | 29,600,628 | 13.712 |
| Feb. 19, 2035 | 19,905,491 | 13.134 |
| Feb. 19, 2047 | 6,377,292 | 11.929 |
| Aug. 29, 2047 | 24,613,640 | 12.825 |
| Feb. 19, 2059 | 5,526,326 | 11.851 |
| Aug. 29, 2059 | 24,149,610 | 12.820 |
| Feb. 19, 2071 | 14,394,166 | 12.587 |
| Sept. 6, 2071 | 29,337,143 | 12.851 |
| Feb. 20, 2096 | 13,556,079 | 11.455 |
| Aug. 17, 2096 | 22,496,149 | 13.029 |
| Feb. 20, 2108 | 7,149,825 | 11.985 |
| Aug. 31, 2108 | 25,284,406 | 12.811 |
| Feb. 20, 2133 | 12,709,986 | 11.450 |
| Aug. 19, 2133 | 22,378,214 | 13.013 |
| Feb. 20, 2145 | 7,601,756 | 12.020 |
| Sept. 1, 2145 | 25,377,183 | 12.813 |
| Feb. 21, 2157 | 28,380,635 | 14.087 |
| Feb. 21, 2170 | 19,432,189 | 11.531 |
| Aug. 13, 2170 | 24,152,131 | 13.229 |
| Feb. 20, 2182 | 8,097,818 | 11.510 |
| Aug. 22, 2182 | 22,145,583 | 12.913 |
| Feb. 20, 2194 | 6,325,466 | 11.573 |
| Aug. 23, 2194 | 22,337,892 | 12.886 |
Images and Observations
2000 ET70's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 18, 1977. It was last officially observed on March 17, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 432 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
This asteroid is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2000 ET70:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9468 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1238
- Inclination: 22.32°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 331.14°
- Argument of Periapsis: 46.11°
- Mean Anomaly: 323.47°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.740 km
- Magnitude: 18.33
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 337 days (0.92 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 30.56 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.06 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.83 AU
- Rotation Period: 8.95 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 162421 (2000 ET70) is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.
Size Rendering
The above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2000 ET70 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
