Key Facts

Overview

12691 (1988 VF2) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1988 VF2 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1988 VF2 orbits the sun every 1,290 days (3.53 years), coming as close as 1.94 AU and reaching as far as 2.69 AU from the sun. 1988 VF2 is about 7.4 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 1988 VF2 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 5.29 hours.

No Close Approaches

1988 VF2's orbit is 0.95 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

1988 VF2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 25, 1981. It was last officially observed on July 5, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,571 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 1988 VF2:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.319 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1621
  • Inclination: 7.49°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 33.58°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 303.98°
  • Mean Anomaly: 6.74°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 7.44400 km
  • Magnitude: 14.43
  • Albedo: 0.072

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,290 days (3.53 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.56 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.69 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.94 AU
  • Rotation Period: 5.29 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 12691 (1988 VF2) 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.