Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon (1.17 km diameter)
- Will pass within 29,906,866 km of Earth in 2029
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
100926 (1998 MQ) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 1998 MQ as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
1998 MQ orbits the sun every 870 days (2.38 years), coming as close as 1.06 AU and reaching as far as 2.51 AU from the sun. 1998 MQ is about 1.2 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
The rotation of 1998 MQ has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.33 hours.
1998 MQ's spectral type None (Tholen) / S (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
1998 MQ's orbit is 0.13 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.
1998 MQ has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1, 2029 | 29,906,866 | 16.780 |
| Oct. 23, 2060 | 27,551,462 | 13.496 |
| Oct. 25, 2110 | 27,018,892 | 13.550 |
| Oct. 25, 2160 | 26,430,973 | 13.604 |
Images and Observations
1998 MQ's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 19, 1979. It was last officially observed on Jan. 31, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,536 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 1998 MQ:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.783 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4076
- Inclination: 24.25°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 221.09°
- Argument of Periapsis: 138.8°
- Mean Anomaly: 163.95°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 1.17400 km
- Magnitude: 16.66
- Albedo: 0.234
- Spectral type (SMASS): S
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 870 days (2.38 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.30 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.51 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.06 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.33 hours
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 100926 (1998 MQ) 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 1998 MQ 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.
