14017 (1994 NS)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Mars-crossing Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the island of Manhattan
• Not a Near Earth Object
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

14017 (1994 NS) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 1994 NS as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1994 NS orbits the sun every 1,170 days (3.20 years), coming as close as 1.65 AU and reaching as far as 2.69 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1994 NS is probably between 2.732 to 6.110 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

No Close Approaches

1994 NS's orbit is 0.65 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

1994 NS's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 7, 1988. It was last officially observed on July 1, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,597 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 1994 NS:

• 149 Medusa (A875 SA)
• 244 Sita (A884 TA)
• 703 Noemi (A910 TD)

References

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

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 14017 (1994 NS) 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 1994 NS 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.