Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.90 km diameter)
- Will pass within 11,735,887 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
Hypnos is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified Hypnos as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
Hypnos orbits the sun every 1,750 days (4.79 years), coming as close as 0.95 AU and reaching as far as 4.74 AU from the sun. Hypnos is about 0.9 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Close Approaches
Hypnos's orbit is 0.02 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.
Hypnos has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 2, 2024 | 11,735,887 | 13.946 |
Images and Observations
Hypnos's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 4, 1986. It was last officially observed on April 3, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 187 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 Hypnos:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.844 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6653
- Inclination: 1.98°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 57.94°
- Argument of Periapsis: 238.17°
- Mean Anomaly: 299.39°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.90000 km
- Magnitude: 18.87
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,750 days (4.79 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 17.68 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.74 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.95 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of Hypnos 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 Hypnos 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.
