Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon
- Will pass within 15,705,241 km of Earth in 2037
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
136900 (1998 HL49) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1998 HL49 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
1998 HL49 orbits the sun every 844 days (2.31 years), coming as close as 0.64 AU and reaching as far as 2.86 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 HL49 is probably between 0.884 to 1.977 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
The rotation of 1998 HL49 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 6.44 hours.
Close Approaches
1998 HL49's orbit is 0.08 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
1998 HL49 has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 14, 2037 | 15,705,241 | 18.590 |
| Sept. 22, 2057 | 13,113,680 | 19.747 |
| March 18, 2104 | 17,012,402 | 20.347 |
| Oct. 5, 2124 | 20,083,347 | 15.912 |
| March 24, 2141 | 27,570,177 | 23.413 |
| March 4, 2148 | 29,796,740 | 13.717 |
| Sept. 22, 2168 | 14,309,222 | 20.612 |
Images and Observations
1998 HL49's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 30, 1998. It was last officially observed on June 7, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 885 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 1998 HL49:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.748 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6365
- Inclination: 10.98°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 205.96°
- Argument of Periapsis: 239.23°
- Mean Anomaly: 77.63°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~1.142 km
- Magnitude: 17.39
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 844 days (2.31 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.53 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.86 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.64 AU
- Rotation Period: 6.44 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 136900 (1998 HL49) 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 1998 HL49 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.
