2008 UA202 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2008 UA202 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 UA202 orbits the sun every 384 days (1.05 years), coming as close as 0.96 AU and reaching as far as 1.10 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2008 UA202 is probably between 0.023 to 0.100 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2008 UA202's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2008 UA202 has 2 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2028 | 12,869,148 | 4.866 |
| Oct. 20, 2029 | 2,340,820 | 2.857 |
NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 72 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Distance Error (km) | Probability of Impact (%) | Impact Energy (Mt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 12, 2066 | 5,103.90 | ±153.03 | 0.00104 | 0.001736 |
| Oct. 11, 2083 | 4,962.66 | ±50.27 | 0.00073 | 0.001774 |
| Oct. 9, 2080 | 4,327.08 | ±36.70 | 0.00065 | 0.001767 |
| Oct. 8, 2066 | 1,457.34 | ±106.80 | 0.00061 | 0.001737 |
| Oct. 9, 2077 | 4,102.38 | ±31.05 | 0.00045 | 0.001762 |
| Oct. 9, 2074 | 4,327.08 | ±28.20 | 0.00028 | 0.001759 |
| Oct. 6, 2067 | 3,421.86 | ±60.97 | 0.00024 | 0.001737 |
| Feb. 22, 2052 | 308.16 | ±172.33 | 0.00020 | 0.001746 |
| Oct. 8, 2101 | 2,529.48 | ±48.84 | 0.00017 | 0.001776 |
| Oct. 9, 2096 | 4,750.80 | ±45.47 | 0.00017 | 0.001766 |
| Oct. 9, 2071 | 4,782.90 | ±28.20 | 0.00017 | 0.001756 |
| Oct. 6, 2091 | 2,510.22 | ±12.61 | 0.00014 | 0.00174 |
| Oct. 8, 2092 | 4,173.00 | ±33.36 | 0.00014 | 0.001764 |
| Oct. 7, 2097 | 2,394.66 | ±59.15 | 0.00013 | 0.001768 |
| Oct. 9, 2085 | 2,047.98 | ±16.68 | 0.00013 | 0.00174 |
| Oct. 9, 2084 | 3,120.12 | ±16.68 | 0.00013 | 0.001741 |
| Oct. 5, 2068 | 4,680.18 | ±44.58 | 0.00012 | 0.001739 |
| Oct. 10, 2083 | 4,192.26 | ±18.92 | 0.00012 | 0.001739 |
| Oct. 8, 2087 | 507.18 | ±15.44 | 0.00011 | 0.001742 |
| Oct. 8, 2086 | 969.42 | ±19.94 | 0.00011 | 0.001741 |
| Oct. 7, 2088 | 513.60 | ±12.61 | 0.00011 | 0.001741 |
| Oct. 6, 2090 | 1,996.62 | ±12.61 | 0.00011 | 0.001741 |
| Oct. 11, 2085 | 5,880.72 | ±65.82 | 0.00010 | 0.001771 |
| Oct. 7, 2089 | 731.88 | ±21.84 | 0.00010 | 0.001743 |
| Oct. 7, 2082 | 5,861.46 | ±59.82 | 0.00010 | 0.001774 |
| Oct. 10, 2105 | 4,217.94 | ±0.00 | 0.00010 | 0.001786 |
| Oct. 10, 2082 | 5,033.28 | ±51.99 | 0.00009 | 0.001765 |
| Oct. 6, 2093 | 1,874.64 | ±43.68 | 0.00009 | 0.001764 |
| Oct. 10, 2102 | 4,083.12 | ±57.79 | 0.00009 | 0.001774 |
| Oct. 11, 2100 | 5,957.76 | ±73.53 | 0.00008 | 0.001775 |
| Oct. 11, 2082 | 5,649.60 | ±0.00 | 0.00008 | 0.001738 |
| Oct. 9, 2100 | 2,523.06 | ±0.00 | 0.00007 | 0.001768 |
| Oct. 8, 2103 | 3,717.18 | ±69.64 | 0.00007 | 0.001788 |
| Oct. 10, 2081 | 5,450.58 | ±50.44 | 0.00007 | 0.001768 |
| Feb. 19, 2051 | 5,649.60 | ±235.92 | 0.00007 | 0.001742 |
| Oct. 9, 2068 | 4,262.88 | ±164.17 | 0.00007 | 0.001738 |
| Feb. 27, 2052 | 2,368.98 | ±155.47 | 0.00006 | 0.001745 |
| Oct. 4, 2069 | 5,848.62 | ±35.11 | 0.00005 | 0.001738 |
| March 15, 2051 | 2,131.44 | ±346.72 | 0.00005 | 0.001782 |
| Oct. 8, 2068 | 6,099.00 | ±41.82 | 0.00005 | 0.001755 |
| Oct. 6, 2090 | 3,460.38 | ±30.89 | 0.00005 | 0.001744 |
| Oct. 10, 2076 | 4,872.78 | ±56.87 | 0.00005 | 0.001722 |
| Oct. 10, 2078 | 5,046.12 | ±61.78 | 0.00004 | 0.001763 |
| Oct. 11, 2108 | 6,150.36 | ±106.82 | 0.00004 | 0.001784 |
| Oct. 8, 2065 | 6,246.66 | ±38.35 | 0.00004 | 0.001744 |
| March 14, 2050 | 2,985.30 | ±159.50 | 0.00004 | 0.001773 |
| Oct. 6, 2089 | 4,031.76 | ±0.00 | 0.00003 | 0.001744 |
| March 21, 2055 | 847.44 | ±409.01 | 0.00003 | 0.001799 |
| Oct. 8, 2086 | 3,896.94 | ±47.18 | 0.00003 | 0.001742 |
| Oct. 7, 2078 | 3,293.46 | ±110.30 | 0.00003 | 0.001729 |
| Oct. 8, 2075 | 2,381.82 | ±23.38 | 0.00003 | 0.001723 |
| Oct. 8, 2085 | 5,296.50 | ±0.00 | 0.00002 | 0.001742 |
| Oct. 10, 2074 | 3,113.70 | ±26.32 | 0.00002 | 0.001715 |
| Oct. 5, 2090 | 4,192.26 | ±79.76 | 0.00002 | 0.001743 |
| Oct. 8, 2084 | 5,835.78 | ±0.00 | 0.00002 | 0.001743 |
| Oct. 7, 2087 | 1,784.76 | ±0.00 | 0.00002 | 0.001742 |
| Oct. 8, 2085 | 3,601.62 | ±0.00 | 0.00002 | 0.001739 |
| Oct. 5, 2088 | 699.78 | ±0.00 | 0.00002 | 0.001741 |
| Oct. 5, 2074 | 1,816.86 | ±10.92 | 0.00001 | 0.001724 |
| Oct. 7, 2073 | 1,926.00 | ±13.74 | 0.00001 | 0.001718 |
| Oct. 10, 2083 | 6,246.66 | ±25.22 | 0.00001 | 0.001743 |
| Oct. 11, 2098 | 5,489.10 | ±86.46 | 0.00001 | 0.001712 |
| Oct. 5, 2089 | 3,627.30 | ±0.00 | 0.00001 | 0.001745 |
| July 25, 2068 | 7,305.96 | ±518.07 | 0.00000 | 0.001749 |
| Oct. 6, 2086 | 27,548.22 | ±10,662.34 | 0.00000 | 0.001807 |
| Oct. 11, 2073 | 4,725.12 | ±32.72 | 0.00000 | 0.001697 |
| Oct. 8, 2072 | 2,003.04 | ±19.56 | 0.00000 | 0.0017 |
| Oct. 5, 2093 | 3,306.30 | ±3,529.33 | 0.00000 | 0.001718 |
| Oct. 5, 2093 | 3,800.64 | ±3,745.94 | 0.00000 | 0.001718 |
| Oct. 8, 2085 | 6,606.18 | ±100.09 | 0.00000 | 0.001786 |
| Oct. 6, 2086 | 27,291.42 | ±7,429.22 | 0.00000 | 0.001807 |
| Oct. 9, 2091 | 7,723.26 | ±596.69 | 0.00000 | 0.001718 |
2008 UA202's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 29, 2008. It was last officially observed on Nov. 4, 2008. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 16 observations used to determine its orbit.
2008 UA202 can be reached with a journey of 346 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 3.988 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 1,864,900 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2008 UA202.
The position of 2008 UA202 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.