154715 (2004 LB6)

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
• Will pass within 18,605,630 km of Earth in 2041
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

154715 (2004 LB6) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2004 LB6 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.

2004 LB6 orbits the sun every 752 days (2.06 years), coming as close as 0.82 AU and reaching as far as 2.41 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2004 LB6 is probably between 0.521 to 1.164 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Close Approaches

2004 LB6'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.

2004 LB6 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

2004 LB6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 31, 2002. It was last officially observed on April 25, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 627 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 2004 LB6:

• 4953 (1990 MU)
• 5879 Almeria (1992 CH1)
• 6569 Ondaatje (1993 MO)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 154715 (2004 LB6) 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 2004 LB6 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.