Key Facts

Overview

Etna is a mid-sized asteroid that orbits between Mars and Jupiter in the outer reaches of the main asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified Etna as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

Etna orbits the sun every 2,870 days (7.86 years), coming as close as 3.18 AU and reaching as far as 4.72 AU from the sun. Etna is about 10.0 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the city of Boston.

No Close Approaches

Etna's orbit is 2.20 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an extremely wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

Etna's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 24, 1971. It was last officially observed on April 2, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,300 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 Etna:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.95 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.194
  • Inclination: 14.45°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 3.74°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 296.51°
  • Mean Anomaly: 135.17°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 9.96700 km
  • Magnitude: 12.18
  • Albedo: 0.371

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,870 days (7.86 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 14.97 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 4.72 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 3.18 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of Etna 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.