Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 8,989,666 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2005 WD is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2005 WD as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2005 WD orbits the sun every 1,280 days (3.50 years), coming as close as 1.01 AU and reaching as far as 3.60 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2005 WD is probably between 0.109 to 0.243 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
The rotation of 2005 WD has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.93 hours.
Close Approaches
2005 WD's orbit is 0.04 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.
2005 WD has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 11, 2019 | 8,989,666 | 17.179 |
| Nov. 16, 2026 | 19,492,567 | 18.175 |
| Nov. 20, 2033 | 28,483,479 | 19.245 |
| Oct. 31, 2191 | 22,313,863 | 16.527 |
| Nov. 2, 2198 | 18,907,074 | 16.449 |
Images and Observations
2005 WD's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 19, 2005. It was last officially observed on Nov. 18, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 177 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 2005 WD:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.307 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5609
- Inclination: 26.17°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 227.65°
- Argument of Periapsis: 161.02°
- Mean Anomaly: 38.1°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.140 km
- Magnitude: 21.94
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,280 days (3.50 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.61 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.60 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.01 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.93 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2005 WD 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 2005 WD 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.
