Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
  • Comparable in size to a football field
  • Will pass within 12,263,319 km of Earth in 2195
  • Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
  • Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

2004 HD2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2004 HD2 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.

2004 HD2 orbits the sun every 1,290 days (3.53 years), coming as close as 0.39 AU and reaching as far as 4.25 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2004 HD2 is probably between 0.160 to 0.358 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.

Close Approaches

2004 HD2'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.

2004 HD2 has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Date Distance from Earth (km) Velocity (km/s)
April 7, 2195 12,263,319 26.524

Images and Observations

2004 HD2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 20, 2004. It was last officially observed on May 10, 2004. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 58 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 2004 HD2:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2453121.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.317 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.8338
  • Inclination: 15.44°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 26.9°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 61.77°
  • Mean Anomaly: 15.25°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~0.207 km
  • Magnitude: 21.1

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,290 days (3.53 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.54 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 4.25 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.39 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 2004 HD2 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 2004 HD2 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.