Key Facts

Overview

14356 (1987 SF6) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1987 SF6 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1987 SF6 orbits the sun every 1,390 days (3.81 years), coming as close as 1.88 AU and reaching as far as 3.01 AU from the sun. 1987 SF6 is about 6.9 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 1987 SF6 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 7.52 hours.

No Close Approaches

1987 SF6's orbit is 0.87 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

1987 SF6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 17, 1987. It was last officially observed on April 15, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,908 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 1987 SF6:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.441 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2314
  • Inclination: 5.75°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 172.79°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 182.13°
  • Mean Anomaly: 158.67°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 6.94300 km
  • Magnitude: 15.13
  • Albedo: 0.047

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,390 days (3.81 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.10 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.01 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.88 AU
  • Rotation Period: 7.52 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 14356 (1987 SF6) 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.