Key Facts

Overview

125286 (2001 VZ22) 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 2001 VZ22 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

2001 VZ22 orbits the sun every 2,850 days (7.80 years), coming as close as 2.88 AU and reaching as far as 5.00 AU from the sun. 2001 VZ22 is about 8.4 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

2001 VZ22's orbit is 1.90 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

2001 VZ22's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 22, 2001. It was last officially observed on June 28, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 673 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 2001 VZ22:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.938 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2693
  • Inclination: 6.93°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 42.35°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 35.04°
  • Mean Anomaly: 272.26°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 8.38500 km
  • Magnitude: 14.01
  • Albedo: 0.110

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,850 days (7.80 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 15.03 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 5.00 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.88 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 125286 (2001 VZ22) 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.