Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 4,599,302 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
1999 TT16 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 1999 TT16 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
1999 TT16 orbits the sun every 1,160 days (3.18 years), coming as close as 0.73 AU and reaching as far as 3.59 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 1999 TT16 is probably between 0.273 to 0.611 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.
The rotation of 1999 TT16 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 235.00 hours.
Close Approaches
1999 TT16'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.
1999 TT16 has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2019 | 4,599,302 | 16.170 |
| Nov. 10, 2034 | 5,092,238 | 16.448 |
| March 22, 2073 | 11,305,737 | 14.636 |
| Oct. 28, 2104 | 29,498,541 | 22.672 |
| March 27, 2108 | 6,687,174 | 15.783 |
| Nov. 28, 2123 | 20,714,608 | 12.963 |
| March 4, 2143 | 26,798,126 | 12.751 |
| Nov. 11, 2158 | 5,251,297 | 16.966 |
| April 9, 2162 | 18,844,106 | 20.503 |
| March 19, 2197 | 16,953,414 | 13.620 |
Images and Observations
1999 TT16's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 9, 1999. It was last officially observed on May 27, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 501 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 1999 TT16:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.157 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6628
- Inclination: 1.99°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 327.13°
- Argument of Periapsis: 149.62°
- Mean Anomaly: 159.15°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.353 km
- Magnitude: 19.94
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,160 days (3.18 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.23 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.59 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.73 AU
- Rotation Period: 235.00 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 1999 TT16 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 TT16 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.
