Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 22,771,655 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
1998 BY7 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1998 BY7 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1998 BY7 orbits the sun every 1,050 days (2.87 years), coming as close as 0.79 AU and reaching as far as 3.25 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1998 BY7 is probably between 0.135 to 0.302 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 1998 BY7 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 1.30 hours.
Close Approaches
1998 BY7'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.
1998 BY7 has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2021 | 22,771,655 | 11.599 |
| June 29, 2041 | 3,880,822 | 14.884 |
| Feb. 15, 2044 | 8,313,981 | 16.653 |
| June 27, 2130 | 8,927,636 | 13.654 |
| Feb. 11, 2133 | 20,510,905 | 19.196 |
| July 15, 2150 | 27,930,464 | 20.547 |
| March 7, 2153 | 17,543,443 | 12.032 |
| July 12, 2173 | 22,390,014 | 19.225 |
| March 13, 2176 | 19,356,584 | 11.612 |
| March 31, 2199 | 27,943,710 | 11.948 |
Images and Observations
1998 BY7's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 22, 1998. It was last officially observed on Aug. 4, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 163 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 BY7:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.02 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6088
- Inclination: 3.28°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 121.88°
- Argument of Periapsis: 90.63°
- Mean Anomaly: 303.26°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.174 km
- Magnitude: 21.47
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,050 days (2.87 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.93 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.25 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.79 AU
- Rotation Period: 1.30 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 1998 BY7 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 1998 BY7 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.
