Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 8,186,173 km of Earth in 2036
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
1997 WQ23 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1997 WQ23 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1997 WQ23 orbits the sun every 836 days (2.29 years), coming as close as 0.88 AU and reaching as far as 2.60 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1997 WQ23 is probably between 0.184 to 0.411 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 1997 WQ23 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 14.60 hours.
Close Approaches
1997 WQ23's orbit is 0.01 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.
1997 WQ23 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 16, 2036 | 8,186,173 | 12.312 |
| July 26, 2052 | 8,130,945 | 10.084 |
| Aug. 26, 2068 | 18,698,104 | 9.112 |
| Oct. 4, 2084 | 17,338,600 | 9.083 |
| Nov. 2, 2100 | 4,211,344 | 10.409 |
| Oct. 11, 2116 | 15,749,656 | 9.042 |
| Sept. 2, 2132 | 19,426,726 | 9.189 |
| July 30, 2148 | 9,029,166 | 9.870 |
| July 20, 2164 | 6,628,801 | 11.754 |
| July 8, 2180 | 25,750,481 | 16.137 |
| Nov. 18, 2189 | 19,513,203 | 15.142 |
Images and Observations
1997 WQ23's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 29, 1997. It was last officially observed on Dec. 18, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 184 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 WQ23:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.737 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4949
- Inclination: 2.45°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 55.82°
- Argument of Periapsis: 296.63°
- Mean Anomaly: 122.93°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.237 km
- Magnitude: 20.8
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 836 days (2.29 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.60 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.60 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.88 AU
- Rotation Period: 14.60 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 1997 WQ23 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 1997 WQ23 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.
