Key Facts

Overview

16774 (1996 VP1) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1996 VP1 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1996 VP1 orbits the sun every 1,570 days (4.30 years), coming as close as 1.87 AU and reaching as far as 3.42 AU from the sun. 1996 VP1 is about 7.8 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 1996 VP1 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 18.56 hours.

No Close Approaches

1996 VP1's orbit is 0.92 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a very 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

1996 VP1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 6, 1996. It was last officially observed on April 9, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,726 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 1996 VP1:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.645 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.2926
  • Inclination: 13.34°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 268.71°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 83.58°
  • Mean Anomaly: 123.09°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 7.79800 km
  • Magnitude: 13.54
  • Albedo: 0.167

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,570 days (4.30 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.33 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.42 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 1.87 AU
  • Rotation Period: 18.56 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 16774 (1996 VP1) 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.