14532 (1997 QM)

Mid-sized Main-belt Asteroid

Space Reference » Main-belt Asteroids » 14532 (1997 QM)

Key Facts

Overview

14532 (1997 QM) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1997 QM as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1997 QM orbits the sun every 1,470 days (4.02 years), coming as close as 2.50 AU and reaching as far as 2.57 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1997 QM is probably between 3.635 to 8.129 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 1997 QM has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 3.21 hours.

No Close Approaches

1997 QM's orbit is 1.51 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

1997 QM's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 14, 1993. It was last officially observed on March 2, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,497 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 1997 QM:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.535 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.0133
  • Inclination: 15.09°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 169.3°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 55.57°
  • Mean Anomaly: 281.16°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~4.693 km
  • Magnitude: 14.32

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,470 days (4.02 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.76 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.57 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.50 AU
  • Rotation Period: 3.21 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 14532 (1997 QM) 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 1997 QM 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.