Key Facts

Overview

17699 (1997 GX7) is a mid-sized asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the main portion of the asteroid belt. NASA JPL has not classified 1997 GX7 as potentially hazardous because its orbit does not bring it close to Earth.

1997 GX7 orbits the sun every 2,070 days (5.67 years), coming as close as 2.61 AU and reaching as far as 3.76 AU from the sun. 1997 GX7 is about 9.4 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the San Francisco Bay.

The rotation of 1997 GX7 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 8.91 hours.

No Close Approaches

1997 GX7's orbit is 1.62 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.

Images and Observations

1997 GX7's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 1, 1973. It was last officially observed on Feb. 10, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,002 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 1997 GX7:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 3.184 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.1797
  • Inclination: 2.41°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 100.61°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 326.13°
  • Mean Anomaly: 18.96°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: 9.35500 km
  • Magnitude: 13.9
  • Albedo: 0.061

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 2,070 days (5.67 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 16.73 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 3.76 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 2.61 AU
  • Rotation Period: 8.91 hours

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 17699 (1997 GX7) 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.