160465 (2006 BL226)

Mid-sized Jupiter Trojan

Space Reference » Jupiter Trojans » 160465 (2006 BL226)

Key Facts

Overview

160465 (2006 BL226) is a mid-sized asteroid that shares Jupiter's orbit around the sun. NASA JPL has not classified 2006 BL226 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

2006 BL226 orbits the sun every 4,440 days (12.16 years), coming as close as 5.02 AU and reaching as far as 5.55 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2006 BL226 is probably between 5.088 to 11.377 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

No Close Approaches

2006 BL226's orbit is 4.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is an extremely wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

2006 BL226's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 1, 2000. It was last officially observed on Sept. 23, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 337 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 2006 BL226:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 5.284 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.0502
  • Inclination: 2.71°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 134.12°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 76.74°
  • Mean Anomaly: 115.46°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~6.569 km
  • Magnitude: 13.59

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 4,440 days (12.16 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 12.95 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 5.55 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 5.02 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 160465 (2006 BL226) 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 2006 BL226 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.