Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 16,791,526 km of Earth in 2027
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2008 PF1 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2008 PF1 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2008 PF1 orbits the sun every 579 days (1.59 years), coming as close as 0.69 AU and reaching as far as 2.03 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 PF1 is probably between 0.100 to 0.224 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2008 PF1's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2008 PF1 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 27, 2027 | 16,791,526 | 10.991 |
| Feb. 7, 2031 | 2,648,689 | 13.783 |
| Feb. 17, 2042 | 23,828,151 | 19.028 |
| Feb. 7, 2064 | 4,227,790 | 13.373 |
| Aug. 12, 2071 | 15,330,862 | 17.180 |
| Jan. 28, 2139 | 21,478,629 | 10.035 |
Images and Observations
2008 PF1's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Aug. 3, 2008. It was last officially observed on March 16, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 132 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 2008 PF1:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.36 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4946
- Inclination: 2.76°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 129.56°
- Argument of Periapsis: 284.21°
- Mean Anomaly: 147.05°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.129 km
- Magnitude: 22.12
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 579 days (1.59 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.55 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.03 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.69 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2008 PF1 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 PF1 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.
