Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon
- Will pass within 24,820,283 km of Earth in 2193
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
192563 (1998 WZ6) is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1998 WZ6 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1998 WZ6 orbits the sun every 639 days (1.75 years), coming as close as 0.86 AU and reaching as far as 2.04 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 WZ6 is probably between 0.905 to 2.023 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
1998 WZ6's spectral type None (Tholen) / V (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
1998 WZ6's orbit is 0.03 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 WZ6 has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 5, 2193 | 24,820,283 | 19.666 |
Images and Observations
1998 WZ6's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 23, 1998. It was last officially observed on Oct. 16, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 2,214 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 WZ6:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.452 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4079
- Inclination: 24.76°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 68.68°
- Argument of Periapsis: 110.76°
- Mean Anomaly: 0.9°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~1.168 km
- Magnitude: 17.34
- Spectral type (SMASS): V
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 639 days (1.75 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.72 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.04 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.86 AU
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 192563 (1998 WZ6) 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 WZ6 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.
