Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.84 km diameter)
- Will pass within 18,630,256 km of Earth in 2064
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2002 BM26 is a small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2002 BM26 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2002 BM26 orbits the sun every 906 days (2.48 years), coming as close as 1.02 AU and reaching as far as 2.65 AU from the sun. 2002 BM26 is about 0.8 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2002 BM26 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.70 hours.
2002 BM26's spectral type None (Tholen) / X (SMASSII) indicates that it is likely to contain iron, nickel, and cobalt.
Close Approaches
2002 BM26's orbit is 0.03 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.
2002 BM26 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 22, 2064 | 18,630,256 | 11.341 |
| Jan. 30, 2069 | 14,065,109 | 11.257 |
| Feb. 22, 2126 | 17,767,904 | 11.210 |
| Jan. 31, 2131 | 16,288,085 | 11.449 |
| Feb. 20, 2188 | 14,223,201 | 10.963 |
| Jan. 27, 2193 | 20,671,211 | 11.968 |
Images and Observations
2002 BM26's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 26, 2002. It was last officially observed on Jan. 29, 2007. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 243 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 2002 BM26:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.832 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4448
- Inclination: 16.22°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 319.61°
- Argument of Periapsis: 180.53°
- Mean Anomaly: 251.54°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.84000 km
- Magnitude: 20.1
- Albedo: 0.023
- Spectral type (SMASS): X
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 906 days (2.48 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.00 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.65 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.02 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.70 hours
- Approx. Composition: iron, nickel, and cobalt.
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2002 BM26 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 2002 BM26 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.
