2003 LW2

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
• Will pass within 411,069 km of Earth in 2021
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

2003 LW2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2003 LW2 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.

2003 LW2 orbits the sun every 916 days (2.51 years), coming as close as 0.97 AU and reaching as far as 2.72 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2003 LW2 is probably between 0.018 to 0.041 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.

Close Approaches

2003 LW2'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.

2003 LW2 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

2003 LW2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 4, 2003. It was last officially observed on June 1, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 69 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 2003 LW2:

• 1355 Magoeba (1935 HE)
• 1600 Vyssotsky (1947 UC)
• 1727 Mette (1965 BA)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 2003 LW2 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.