16838 (1997 WT39) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1997 WT39 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.
1997 WT39 orbits the sun every 1,950 days (5.34 years), coming as close as 2.50 AU and reaching as far as 3.62 AU from the sun. 1997 WT39 is about 9.5 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.
The rotation of 1997 WT39 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 4.85 hours.
1997 WT39's orbit is 1.51 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.
1997 WT39's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 27, 1986. It was last officially observed on June 12, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 3,523 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 16838 (1997 WT39) 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.