Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 12,939,709 km of Earth in 2021
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2004 JN1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2004 JN1 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.
2004 JN1 orbits the sun every 413 days (1.13 years), coming as close as 0.89 AU and reaching as far as 1.28 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2004 JN1 is probably between 0.031 to 0.139 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2004 JN1's orbit is 0.02 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 JN1 has 23 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 28, 2021 | 12,939,709 | 3.912 |
| June 25, 2021 | 29,227,456 | 3.941 |
| May 7, 2030 | 9,230,586 | 6.241 |
| Dec. 7, 2037 | 7,609,651 | 5.944 |
| Oct. 19, 2046 | 28,519,939 | 3.955 |
| March 10, 2047 | 13,362,338 | 3.939 |
| May 24, 2047 | 20,643,586 | 2.039 |
| May 11, 2056 | 18,088,709 | 8.054 |
| Dec. 6, 2063 | 10,102,623 | 6.496 |
| Nov. 13, 2072 | 21,362,248 | 2.541 |
| Feb. 4, 2073 | 13,464,776 | 3.981 |
| June 23, 2073 | 28,161,547 | 3.789 |
| May 1, 2082 | 3,929,979 | 4.459 |
| Dec. 13, 2098 | 3,383,000 | 4.442 |
| March 20, 2108 | 12,554,336 | 3.730 |
| May 11, 2117 | 15,967,554 | 7.630 |
| Dec. 4, 2124 | 15,967,165 | 7.728 |
| Jan. 25, 2134 | 12,467,008 | 3.801 |
| June 29, 2134 | 29,743,250 | 4.067 |
| May 3, 2143 | 4,028,970 | 4.534 |
| Nov. 30, 2150 | 27,521,003 | 10.073 |
| May 9, 2169 | 10,941,843 | 6.586 |
| Dec. 10, 2176 | 4,819,894 | 5.311 |
Images and Observations
2004 JN1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 11, 2004. It was last officially observed on June 15, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 111 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2004 JN1 can be reached with a journey of 362 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 6.235 km/s. To put this into perspective, the delta-v to launch a rocket to Low-Earth Orbit is 9.7 km/s. There are 469,195 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2004 JN1.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2004 JN1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.085 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1757
- Inclination: 1.5°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 143.81°
- Argument of Periapsis: 1.99°
- Mean Anomaly: 101.63°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.085 km
- Magnitude: 23.74
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 413 days (1.13 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.58 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.28 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.89 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2004 JN1 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 JN1 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.
