Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 29,135,909 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
199003 (2005 WJ56) is a small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2005 WJ56 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2005 WJ56 orbits the sun every 343 days (0.94 years), coming as close as 0.81 AU and reaching as far as 1.10 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2005 WJ56 is probably between 0.615 to 1.374 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2005 WJ56 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 4.38 hours.
Close Approaches
2005 WJ56'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.
2005 WJ56 has 27 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 29, 2022 | 29,135,909 | 12.257 |
| Jan. 8, 2023 | 25,182,371 | 11.175 |
| Jan. 7, 2024 | 29,850,384 | 15.291 |
| July 17, 2037 | 20,085,623 | 12.689 |
| Jan. 9, 2039 | 6,647,954 | 12.414 |
| July 26, 2052 | 23,761,562 | 13.477 |
| Jan. 10, 2054 | 8,230,403 | 11.496 |
| July 3, 2068 | 26,408,699 | 12.278 |
| Jan. 7, 2069 | 29,558,173 | 11.255 |
| Jan. 7, 2070 | 25,454,582 | 14.665 |
| July 19, 2083 | 20,288,706 | 12.814 |
| Jan. 9, 2085 | 4,783,165 | 12.205 |
| July 26, 2098 | 23,412,602 | 13.413 |
| Jan. 10, 2100 | 7,202,624 | 11.553 |
| June 30, 2114 | 29,190,843 | 12.274 |
| Jan. 9, 2115 | 25,228,282 | 11.168 |
| July 15, 2129 | 20,666,430 | 12.548 |
| Jan. 10, 2131 | 10,686,368 | 12.833 |
| July 24, 2144 | 21,809,720 | 13.146 |
| Jan. 11, 2146 | 4,340,633 | 11.779 |
| June 30, 2160 | 28,905,557 | 12.271 |
| Jan. 9, 2161 | 25,966,609 | 11.174 |
| Jan. 8, 2162 | 29,045,799 | 15.172 |
| July 19, 2175 | 20,287,856 | 12.738 |
| Jan. 10, 2177 | 5,698,021 | 12.299 |
| July 28, 2190 | 24,296,889 | 13.535 |
| Jan. 11, 2192 | 9,234,557 | 11.441 |
Images and Observations
2005 WJ56's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 29, 2005. It was last officially observed on March 2, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 1,091 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 2005 WJ56:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9592 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.152
- Inclination: 21.61°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 288.02°
- Argument of Periapsis: 297.6°
- Mean Anomaly: 147.38°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.793 km
- Magnitude: 18.18
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 343 days (0.94 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 30.42 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.10 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.81 AU
- Rotation Period: 4.38 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 199003 (2005 WJ56) 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 2005 WJ56 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.
