Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 23,952,773 km of Earth in 2026
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2008 CO is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2008 CO 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.
2008 CO orbits the sun every 466 days (1.28 years), coming as close as 1.16 AU and reaching as far as 1.19 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 CO is probably between 0.053 to 0.235 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
Close Approaches
2008 CO's orbit is 0.16 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.
2008 CO has 16 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 12, 2026 | 23,952,773 | 4.424 |
| July 12, 2040 | 28,157,255 | 4.112 |
| Feb. 17, 2045 | 29,083,625 | 4.886 |
| Jan. 21, 2059 | 29,447,646 | 4.769 |
| Aug. 26, 2063 | 24,770,837 | 4.362 |
| July 27, 2077 | 25,351,434 | 4.347 |
| Feb. 3, 2096 | 28,724,225 | 4.898 |
| Sept. 10, 2100 | 27,240,086 | 4.135 |
| Aug. 11, 2114 | 24,009,218 | 4.415 |
| July 11, 2128 | 28,657,989 | 4.051 |
| Feb. 16, 2133 | 28,988,686 | 4.887 |
| Jan. 20, 2147 | 29,574,905 | 4.736 |
| Aug. 25, 2151 | 24,564,202 | 4.368 |
| July 26, 2165 | 25,699,590 | 4.323 |
| Feb. 3, 2184 | 28,736,573 | 4.892 |
| Sept. 8, 2188 | 26,842,704 | 4.172 |
Images and Observations
2008 CO's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Feb. 2, 2008. It was last officially observed on Jan. 24, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 117 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2008 CO can be reached with a journey of 378 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 9.536 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 18,875 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2008 CO.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2008 CO:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.176 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.0115
- Inclination: 8.07°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 319.21°
- Argument of Periapsis: 80.17°
- Mean Anomaly: 178.72°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.144 km
- Magnitude: 22.6
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 466 days (1.28 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.45 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.19 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.16 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2008 CO 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 2008 CO 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.
