154278 (2002 TB9)

Mid-sized Apollo-class Asteroid

Near-Earth
Space Reference » Apollo-class Asteroids » 154278 (2002 TB9)

Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
  • Comparable in size to Mount Everest
  • Will pass within 28,084,505 km of Earth in 2054
  • Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
  • Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

154278 (2002 TB9) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2002 TB9 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.

2002 TB9 orbits the sun every 885 days (2.42 years), coming as close as 0.74 AU and reaching as far as 2.87 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2002 TB9 is probably between 1.290 to 2.884 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to Mount Everest.

The rotation of 2002 TB9 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 7.85 hours.

Close Approaches

2002 TB9's orbit is 0.19 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.

2002 TB9 has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Date Distance from Earth (km) Velocity (km/s)
April 19, 2054 28,084,505 22.818
April 19, 2117 27,733,912 22.846
April 17, 2180 27,376,757 22.734

Images and Observations

2002 TB9's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 16, 1991. It was last officially observed on July 27, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 691 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 2002 TB9:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 1.804 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.5917
  • Inclination: 29.77°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 196.23°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 322.7°
  • Mean Anomaly: 143.73°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~1.665 km
  • Magnitude: 16.57

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 885 days (2.42 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.18 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 2.87 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.74 AU
  • Rotation Period: 7.85 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 154278 (2002 TB9) 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 2002 TB9 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.