Key Facts

Overview

143707 (2003 UY117) is a very large asteroid whose orbit extends beyond the orbit of Neptune. NASA JPL has not classified 2003 UY117 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

2003 UY117 orbits the sun every 154,000 days (421.63 years), coming as close as 32.49 AU and reaching as far as 80.13 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2003 UY117 is probably between 171.615 to 383.743 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. state of Maryland.

No Close Approaches

2003 UY117's orbit is 31.50 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

2003 UY117's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 26, 2001. It was last officially observed on Nov. 25, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 428 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 2003 UY117:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 56.31 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.423
  • Inclination: 7.53°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 265.22°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 112.76°
  • Mean Anomaly: 15.98°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~221.554 km
  • Magnitude: 5.95

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 154,000 days (421.63 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 3.98 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 80.13 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 32.49 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 143707 (2003 UY117) 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.