Key Facts

Overview

13685 (1997 QG4) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1997 QG4 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1997 QG4 orbits the sun every 1,890 days (5.17 years), coming as close as 2.58 AU and reaching as far as 3.41 AU from the sun. 1997 QG4 is about 8.0 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 1997 QG4 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 5.22 hours.

No Close Approaches

1997 QG4's orbit is 1.59 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

1997 QG4's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 11, 1991. It was last officially observed on July 1, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,906 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 1997 QG4:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.994 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.138
  • Inclination: 12.2°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 147.73°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 117.72°
  • Mean Anomaly: 76.03°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 8.03800 km
  • Magnitude: 13.42
  • Albedo: 0.207

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,890 days (5.17 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 17.23 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.41 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.58 AU
  • Rotation Period: 5.22 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 13685 (1997 QG4) 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.