149537 (2003 GE42)

Mid-sized Mars-crossing Asteroid

Space Reference » Mars-crossing Asteroids » 149537 (2003 GE42)

Key Facts

Overview

149537 (2003 GE42) is a mid-sized asteroid with an orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars. NASA JPL has not classified 2003 GE42 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

2003 GE42 orbits the sun every 1,560 days (4.27 years), coming as close as 1.65 AU and reaching as far as 3.62 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2003 GE42 is probably between 2.969 to 6.638 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.

No Close Approaches

2003 GE42's orbit is 0.84 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

2003 GE42's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 28, 1990. It was last officially observed on Oct. 29, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,087 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 GE42:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.634 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.3746
  • Inclination: 27.86°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 165.65°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 101.24°
  • Mean Anomaly: 277.22°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~3.832 km
  • Magnitude: 14.76

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,560 days (4.27 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.37 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.62 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.65 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 149537 (2003 GE42) 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 2003 GE42 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.