Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 5,732,904 km of Earth in 2075
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2004 HG12 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2004 HG12 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2004 HG12 orbits the sun every 633 days (1.73 years), coming as close as 0.94 AU and reaching as far as 1.94 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2004 HG12 is probably between 0.083 to 0.185 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2004 HG12'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 HG12 has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 18, 2075 | 5,732,904 | 16.613 |
Images and Observations
2004 HG12's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 21, 2004. It was last officially observed on May 4, 2004. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 53 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 HG12:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2453119.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.442 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.345
- Inclination: 26.54°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 208.22°
- Argument of Periapsis: 48.48°
- Mean Anomaly: 337.44°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.107 km
- Magnitude: 22.54
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 633 days (1.73 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.78 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.94 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.94 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2004 HG12 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 HG12 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.
