Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 7,544,145 km of Earth in 2025
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2000 LF3 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2000 LF3 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2000 LF3 orbits the sun every 1,530 days (4.19 years), coming as close as 0.90 AU and reaching as far as 4.29 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2000 LF3 is probably between 0.127 to 0.284 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
The rotation of 2000 LF3 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 1.00 hours.
Close Approaches
2000 LF3's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2000 LF3 has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 18, 2025 | 7,544,145 | 14.446 |
| June 13, 2046 | 1,032,268 | 15.243 |
Images and Observations
2000 LF3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 4, 2000. It was last officially observed on June 17, 2000. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 72 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 2000 LF3:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.593 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6545
- Inclination: 14.6°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 81.9°
- Argument of Periapsis: 224.28°
- Mean Anomaly: 200.85°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.164 km
- Magnitude: 21.6
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,530 days (4.19 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.44 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.29 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.90 AU
- Rotation Period: 1.00 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2000 LF3 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 2000 LF3 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.
