Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the island of Manhattan (4.17 km diameter)
- Will pass within 13,201,615 km of Earth in 2042
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
152679 (1998 KU2) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1998 KU2 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
1998 KU2 orbits the sun every 1,230 days (3.37 years), coming as close as 1.01 AU and reaching as far as 3.50 AU from the sun. 1998 KU2 is about 4.2 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.
The rotation of 1998 KU2 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 125.00 hours.
1998 KU2's spectral type None (Tholen) / Cb (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain water, iron, nickel, cobalt, nitrogen, and ammonia.
Close Approaches
1998 KU2's orbit is 0.06 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.
1998 KU2 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2042 | 13,201,615 | 8.210 |
| Sept. 18, 2069 | 10,992,620 | 9.845 |
| Aug. 28, 2113 | 10,309,439 | 7.735 |
| July 10, 2157 | 25,858,343 | 12.478 |
| Aug. 7, 2184 | 12,942,449 | 8.080 |
Images and Observations
1998 KU2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 21, 1971. It was last officially observed on Dec. 26, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,365 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 1998 KU2:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.251 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5528
- Inclination: 4.93°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 205.71°
- Argument of Periapsis: 120.34°
- Mean Anomaly: 145.56°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 4.16700 km
- Magnitude: 16.67
- Albedo: 0.022
- Spectral type (SMASS): Cb
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,230 days (3.37 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.91 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.50 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.01 AU
- Rotation Period: 125.00 hours
- Approx. Composition: water, iron, nickel, cobalt, nitrogen, and ammonia.
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 152679 (1998 KU2) 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 1998 KU2 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.
