Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 22,977,532 km of Earth in 2028
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
152560 (1991 BN) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1991 BN as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1991 BN orbits the sun every 633 days (1.73 years), coming as close as 0.87 AU and reaching as far as 2.02 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1991 BN is probably between 0.379 to 0.847 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 1991 BN has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 3.49 hours.
1991 BN's spectral type None (Tholen) / Q (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain .
Close Approaches
1991 BN'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.
1991 BN has 16 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 19, 2028 | 22,977,532 | 14.402 |
| Sept. 17, 2035 | 22,018,974 | 8.185 |
| July 3, 2042 | 13,084,185 | 12.465 |
| Oct. 5, 2061 | 19,620,652 | 7.810 |
| July 6, 2068 | 7,321,683 | 11.266 |
| Nov. 22, 2080 | 26,815,621 | 15.203 |
| Sept. 3, 2087 | 22,040,498 | 8.170 |
| Nov. 11, 2106 | 5,916,200 | 10.006 |
| July 24, 2113 | 11,285,781 | 8.059 |
| Nov. 8, 2132 | 6,553,038 | 9.353 |
| July 23, 2139 | 10,421,893 | 8.201 |
| Nov. 13, 2158 | 6,433,318 | 10.499 |
| Aug. 22, 2165 | 20,399,993 | 7.938 |
| June 30, 2172 | 23,271,182 | 14.469 |
| Oct. 22, 2191 | 15,901,442 | 7.624 |
| July 16, 2198 | 5,507,074 | 9.199 |
Images and Observations
1991 BN's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 19, 1991. It was last officially observed on Feb. 21, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 480 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 1991 BN:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.443 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3981
- Inclination: 3.45°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 268.81°
- Argument of Periapsis: 81.0°
- Mean Anomaly: 29.13°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.489 km
- Magnitude: 19.23
- Spectral type (SMASS): Q
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 633 days (1.73 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.80 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.02 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.87 AU
- Rotation Period: 3.49 hours
- Approx. Composition: .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 152560 (1991 BN) 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 below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 1991 BN to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
