Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 20,722,855 km of Earth in 2031
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
171839 (2001 JM1) is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2001 JM1 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2001 JM1 orbits the sun every 645 days (1.77 years), coming as close as 1.01 AU and reaching as far as 1.92 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 JM1 is probably between 0.377 to 0.843 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2001 JM1 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 5.75 hours.
2001 JM1's spectral type None (Tholen) / S (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
2001 JM1's orbit is 0.05 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.
2001 JM1 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2031 | 20,722,855 | 12.588 |
| April 25, 2054 | 19,928,889 | 9.674 |
| April 30, 2084 | 9,739,637 | 10.051 |
| April 29, 2114 | 15,235,688 | 9.775 |
| May 11, 2151 | 17,049,750 | 12.076 |
| May 7, 2181 | 8,432,484 | 10.956 |
Images and Observations
2001 JM1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 12, 2001. It was last officially observed on Nov. 30, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 561 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 2001 JM1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.461 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3108
- Inclination: 17.08°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 226.65°
- Argument of Periapsis: 321.97°
- Mean Anomaly: 255.53°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.487 km
- Magnitude: 19.24
- Spectral type (SMASS): S
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 645 days (1.77 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.64 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.92 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.01 AU
- Rotation Period: 5.75 hours
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 171839 (2001 JM1) 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 below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2001 JM1 to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
