Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 15,340,794 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
177614 (2004 HK33) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2004 HK33 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2004 HK33 orbits the sun every 948 days (2.60 years), coming as close as 0.91 AU and reaching as far as 2.87 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2004 HK33 is probably between 0.806 to 1.803 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Close Approaches
2004 HK33's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2004 HK33 has 12 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 7, 2022 | 15,340,794 | 12.078 |
| Sept. 18, 2035 | 16,215,064 | 9.579 |
| Aug. 18, 2048 | 18,234,481 | 9.479 |
| July 18, 2061 | 11,475,545 | 9.634 |
| July 5, 2074 | 3,952,855 | 10.737 |
| July 30, 2087 | 15,344,755 | 9.463 |
| Sept. 2, 2100 | 18,193,264 | 9.402 |
| Oct. 2, 2113 | 14,059,011 | 10.639 |
| Oct. 18, 2126 | 23,800,599 | 14.841 |
| June 16, 2160 | 27,441,679 | 16.679 |
| June 30, 2173 | 4,590,764 | 12.241 |
| June 23, 2186 | 15,494,025 | 14.359 |
Images and Observations
2004 HK33's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 12, 2001. It was last officially observed on Feb. 3, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 782 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 2004 HK33:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.889 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5206
- Inclination: 5.44°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 104.71°
- Argument of Periapsis: 221.54°
- Mean Anomaly: 142.49°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~1.041 km
- Magnitude: 17.59
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 948 days (2.60 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 21.68 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.87 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.91 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 177614 (2004 HK33) 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 2004 HK33 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.
