Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.90 km diameter)
- Will pass within 17,607,523 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
168318 (1989 DA) is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1989 DA as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1989 DA orbits the sun every 1,160 days (3.18 years), coming as close as 0.99 AU and reaching as far as 3.34 AU from the sun. 1989 DA is about 0.9 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 1989 DA has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 3.93 hours.
Close Approaches
1989 DA's orbit is 0.04 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.
1989 DA has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 8, 2024 | 17,607,523 | 8.885 |
| March 15, 2043 | 28,118,739 | 13.858 |
| Feb. 4, 2078 | 9,982,432 | 7.575 |
| March 16, 2097 | 29,290,198 | 14.139 |
| Jan. 14, 2132 | 15,579,383 | 8.598 |
| March 1, 2151 | 7,488,551 | 9.347 |
| Jan. 15, 2186 | 15,290,738 | 8.547 |
Images and Observations
1989 DA's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 27, 1989. It was last officially observed on April 18, 2008. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 58 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 1989 DA:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.164 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.542
- Inclination: 6.49°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 349.13°
- Argument of Periapsis: 139.74°
- Mean Anomaly: 319.07°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.90000 km
- Magnitude: 18.98
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,160 days (3.18 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.30 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.34 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.99 AU
- Rotation Period: 3.93 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 168318 (1989 DA) 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 1989 DA 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.
