13476 (1974 QF)

Mid-sized Main-belt Asteroid

Space Reference » Main-belt Asteroids » 13476 (1974 QF)

Key Facts

Overview

13476 (1974 QF) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1974 QF as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1974 QF orbits the sun every 1,260 days (3.45 years), coming as close as 1.80 AU and reaching as far as 2.77 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1974 QF is probably between 2.242 to 5.012 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to Mount Everest.

No Close Approaches

1974 QF's orbit is 0.80 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

1974 QF's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 16, 1974. It was last officially observed on Aug. 21, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,607 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 1974 QF:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.283 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2113
  • Inclination: 2.3°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 255.65°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 109.77°
  • Mean Anomaly: 55.13°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~2.894 km
  • Magnitude: 15.37

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,260 days (3.45 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.71 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.77 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.80 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 13476 (1974 QF) 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.

Size Rendering

The above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 1974 QF to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.