Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the island of Manhattan
- Will pass within 12,153,698 km of Earth in 2038
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
16960 (1998 QS52) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1998 QS52 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1998 QS52 orbits the sun every 1,190 days (3.26 years), coming as close as 0.31 AU and reaching as far as 4.09 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 QS52 is probably between 3.472 to 7.763 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the island of Manhattan.
The rotation of 1998 QS52 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.90 hours.
1998 QS52's spectral type None (Tholen) / Sq (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
1998 QS52's orbit is 0.02 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.
1998 QS52 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 10, 2038 | 12,153,698 | 28.705 |
| June 5, 2087 | 29,353,130 | 25.449 |
| June 20, 2100 | 18,631,348 | 34.131 |
| June 9, 2149 | 20,966,032 | 27.503 |
| June 20, 2162 | 20,345,250 | 34.081 |
Images and Observations
1998 QS52's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 14, 1983. It was last officially observed on Aug. 5, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,042 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 1998 QS52:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.2 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.8589
- Inclination: 17.52°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 260.16°
- Argument of Periapsis: 243.25°
- Mean Anomaly: 187.86°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~4.482 km
- Magnitude: 14.42
- Spectral type (SMASS): Sq
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,190 days (3.26 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.11 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.09 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.31 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.90 hours
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 16960 (1998 QS52) 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 1998 QS52 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.
