Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 22,350,999 km of Earth in 2024
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
1999 RA32 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1999 RA32 as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
1999 RA32 orbits the sun every 380 days (1.04 years), coming as close as 0.93 AU and reaching as far as 1.12 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1999 RA32 is probably between 0.099 to 0.444 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
1999 RA32's orbit is 0.06 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.
1999 RA32 has 28 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 7, 2024 | 22,350,999 | 7.712 |
| Oct. 3, 2024 | 22,597,056 | 5.780 |
| March 22, 2025 | 13,740,605 | 6.170 |
| Aug. 25, 2025 | 17,000,830 | 5.910 |
| Feb. 9, 2050 | 20,153,153 | 7.421 |
| Sept. 30, 2050 | 21,634,140 | 5.796 |
| March 26, 2051 | 15,563,231 | 6.233 |
| Aug. 22, 2051 | 17,642,628 | 5.932 |
| Feb. 15, 2076 | 16,117,041 | 6.939 |
| Sept. 24, 2076 | 19,939,070 | 5.832 |
| April 3, 2077 | 18,991,294 | 6.353 |
| Aug. 17, 2077 | 19,074,730 | 6.030 |
| Feb. 18, 2102 | 14,585,774 | 6.779 |
| Sept. 23, 2102 | 19,301,085 | 5.824 |
| April 7, 2103 | 20,314,364 | 6.398 |
| Aug. 17, 2103 | 19,688,019 | 6.072 |
| Feb. 14, 2128 | 16,950,290 | 7.042 |
| Sept. 26, 2128 | 20,323,386 | 5.825 |
| April 1, 2129 | 18,033,255 | 6.321 |
| Aug. 19, 2129 | 18,477,244 | 6.004 |
| Feb. 9, 2154 | 20,902,430 | 7.533 |
| Oct. 2, 2154 | 22,027,294 | 5.793 |
| March 25, 2155 | 14,782,179 | 6.202 |
| Aug. 25, 2155 | 17,179,860 | 5.924 |
| Feb. 8, 2180 | 21,917,903 | 7.658 |
| Oct. 3, 2180 | 22,445,145 | 5.772 |
| March 23, 2181 | 14,115,125 | 6.186 |
| Aug. 25, 2181 | 17,030,705 | 5.904 |
Images and Observations
1999 RA32's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 8, 1999. It was last officially observed on Dec. 1, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 75 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
1999 RA32 can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 7.284 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 70,766 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 1999 RA32.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 1999 RA32:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.026 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.0903
- Inclination: 10.52°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 167.72°
- Argument of Periapsis: 9.16°
- Mean Anomaly: 193.5°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.272 km
- Magnitude: 21.22
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 380 days (1.04 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 29.37 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.12 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.93 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 1999 RA32 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 1999 RA32 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.
