Key Facts

Overview

12389 (1994 WU) is a large asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1994 WU as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1994 WU orbits the sun every 1,980 days (5.42 years), coming as close as 2.58 AU and reaching as far as 3.59 AU from the sun. 1994 WU is about 19.9 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the city of Denver.

No Close Approaches

1994 WU's orbit is 1.61 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

1994 WU's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 8, 1983. It was last officially observed on May 9, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,166 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 1994 WU:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.086 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1641
  • Inclination: 13.09°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 253.58°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 300.72°
  • Mean Anomaly: 357.1°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 19.93600 km
  • Magnitude: 12.81
  • Albedo: 0.049

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,980 days (5.42 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.96 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.59 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.58 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 12389 (1994 WU) 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.