139047 (2001 EB16)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
• Will pass within 26,487,836 km of Earth in 2029
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

139047 (2001 EB16) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2001 EB16 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.

2001 EB16 orbits the sun every 928 days (2.54 years), coming as close as 1.14 AU and reaching as far as 2.58 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 EB16 is probably between 0.848 to 1.897 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Close Approaches

2001 EB16's orbit is 0.16 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.

2001 EB16 has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

2001 EB16's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 21, 2001. It was last officially observed on Sept. 1, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 214 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 EB16:

• 1355 Magoeba (1935 HE)
• 1509 Esclangona (1938 YG)
• 1627 Ivar (1929 SH)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 139047 (2001 EB16) 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 2001 EB16 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.