159399 (1998 UL1) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 1998 UL1 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 UL1 orbits the sun every 689 days (1.89 years), coming as close as 1.20 AU and reaching as far as 1.85 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 UL1 is probably between 1.261 to 2.819 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to Mount Everest.
The rotation of 1998 UL1 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 4.01 hours.
1998 UL1'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.
1998 UL1 has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
---|---|---|
April 25, 2058 | 29,624,190 | 21.331 |
April 26, 2141 | 29,658,882 | 21.334 |
1998 UL1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 28, 1998. It was last officially observed on July 27, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,161 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 159399 (1998 UL1) 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.
The above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 1998 UL1 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.