Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 10,315,174 km of Earth in 2025
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2008 TD2 is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2008 TD2 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2008 TD2 orbits the sun every 691 days (1.89 years), coming as close as 1.02 AU and reaching as far as 2.04 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 TD2 is probably between 0.072 to 0.320 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2008 TD2'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.
2008 TD2 has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 23, 2025 | 10,315,174 | 7.016 |
| July 22, 2044 | 16,122,911 | 7.193 |
| Oct. 1, 2061 | 20,216,140 | 9.202 |
| July 27, 2080 | 13,570,108 | 6.462 |
| Sept. 27, 2097 | 13,909,675 | 7.871 |
| July 21, 2116 | 18,037,862 | 7.732 |
| Sept. 29, 2133 | 14,474,151 | 7.999 |
| Aug. 2, 2152 | 11,787,179 | 5.892 |
| Oct. 5, 2169 | 23,339,760 | 9.870 |
| July 27, 2188 | 14,454,343 | 6.726 |
Images and Observations
2008 TD2's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 25, 2008. It was last officially observed on April 4, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 75 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2008 TD2 can be reached with a journey of 378 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.447 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 84 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2008 TD2.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2008 TD2:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.53 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3342
- Inclination: 4.02°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 16.0°
- Argument of Periapsis: 316.0°
- Mean Anomaly: 346.08°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.196 km
- Magnitude: 21.93
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 691 days (1.89 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.09 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.04 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.02 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2008 TD2 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 TD2 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.
