Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 14,303,320 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
163364 (2002 OD20) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2002 OD20 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2002 OD20 orbits the sun every 583 days (1.60 years), coming as close as 0.86 AU and reaching as far as 1.87 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2002 OD20 is probably between 0.287 to 1.285 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.
The rotation of 2002 OD20 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.42 hours.
Close Approaches
2002 OD20's orbit is 0.03 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 OD20 has 17 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 3, 2021 | 14,303,320 | 7.058 |
| March 18, 2029 | 22,378,245 | 7.617 |
| Jan. 31, 2037 | 14,343,421 | 7.046 |
| Jan. 12, 2045 | 8,799,770 | 10.508 |
| May 26, 2072 | 10,596,743 | 11.282 |
| May 11, 2080 | 10,313,926 | 7.575 |
| March 25, 2088 | 22,185,660 | 7.588 |
| Feb. 5, 2096 | 15,687,794 | 6.941 |
| Jan. 14, 2104 | 10,111,771 | 10.838 |
| June 6, 2123 | 29,646,669 | 15.076 |
| May 23, 2131 | 3,717,578 | 9.506 |
| April 26, 2139 | 17,358,160 | 7.002 |
| March 12, 2147 | 22,054,033 | 7.560 |
| Jan. 26, 2155 | 10,927,137 | 7.643 |
| Jan. 13, 2163 | 12,301,437 | 11.336 |
| May 31, 2190 | 15,838,007 | 12.346 |
| May 19, 2198 | 6,319,596 | 8.352 |
Images and Observations
2002 OD20's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 22, 2001. It was last officially observed on July 10, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 594 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2002 OD20 can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.755 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 384 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2002 OD20.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2002 OD20:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.365 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.369
- Inclination: 4.19°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 259.86°
- Argument of Periapsis: 275.33°
- Mean Anomaly: 196.97°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.786 km
- Magnitude: 18.91
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 583 days (1.60 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.47 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.87 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.86 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.42 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 163364 (2002 OD20) 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 OD20 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.
