Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge
- Will pass within 12,191,621 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2001 EC is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2001 EC as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2001 EC orbits the sun every 1,530 days (4.19 years), coming as close as 0.61 AU and reaching as far as 4.59 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2001 EC is probably between 0.495 to 1.107 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
2001 EC's spectral type None (Tholen) / Sq (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain and .
Close Approaches
2001 EC'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.
2001 EC has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 15, 2021 | 12,191,621 | 19.031 |
| Feb. 18, 2026 | 12,327,394 | 19.018 |
| Sept. 5, 2042 | 13,046,257 | 23.862 |
| Feb. 10, 2047 | 24,124,627 | 16.520 |
| Sept. 2, 2063 | 20,852,852 | 25.483 |
| March 8, 2097 | 28,491,475 | 27.224 |
| Sept. 18, 2113 | 9,922,197 | 19.280 |
| Feb. 26, 2118 | 2,871,090 | 21.602 |
| Sept. 5, 2155 | 14,600,998 | 25.060 |
Images and Observations
2001 EC's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 3, 2001. It was last officially observed on Feb. 27, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 553 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 2001 EC:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.599 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7654
- Inclination: 0.61°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 315.9°
- Argument of Periapsis: 115.88°
- Mean Anomaly: 160.76°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.639 km
- Magnitude: 18.65
- Spectral type (SMASS): Sq
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,530 days (4.19 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.48 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.59 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.61 AU
- Approx. Composition: and .
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2001 EC 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2001 EC to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
