Key Facts

Overview

15227 (1986 VA) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1986 VA as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1986 VA orbits the sun every 1,930 days (5.28 years), coming as close as 2.72 AU and reaching as far as 3.34 AU from the sun. 1986 VA is about 8.5 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

1986 VA's orbit is 1.72 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

1986 VA's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 4, 1986. It was last officially observed on June 23, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,588 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 1986 VA:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.029 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1022
  • Inclination: 8.85°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 271.84°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 61.44°
  • Mean Anomaly: 51.99°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 8.46900 km
  • Magnitude: 13.24
  • Albedo: 0.205

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,930 days (5.28 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 17.07 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.34 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.72 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 15227 (1986 VA) 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.