Key Facts

Overview

11894 (1991 GW) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1991 GW as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1991 GW orbits the sun every 1,320 days (3.61 years), coming as close as 1.91 AU and reaching as far as 2.80 AU from the sun. 1991 GW is about 7.3 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 1991 GW has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 3.33 hours.

No Close Approaches

1991 GW's orbit is 0.90 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a very 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

1991 GW's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 3, 1991. It was last officially observed on April 17, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,129 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 1991 GW:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.356 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1901
  • Inclination: 7.96°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 38.19°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 172.71°
  • Mean Anomaly: 331.34°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 7.29800 km
  • Magnitude: 14.4
  • Albedo: 0.083

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,320 days (3.61 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.42 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.80 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.91 AU
  • Rotation Period: 3.33 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 11894 (1991 GW) 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.