2009 AL

Very small Apollo-class Asteroid

Near-Earth Potentially Hazardous
Space Reference » Apollo-class Asteroids » 2009 AL

Key Facts

Overview

2009 AL is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2009 AL as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.

2009 AL orbits the sun every 1,450 days (3.97 years), coming as close as 0.86 AU and reaching as far as 4.16 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2009 AL is probably between 0.116 to 0.259 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.

No Close Approaches

2009 AL'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.

Orbital simulations conducted by NASA JPL's CNEOS do not show any close approaches to Earth.

Images and Observations

2009 AL's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 1, 2009. It was last officially observed on Jan. 29, 2009. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 55 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 2009 AL:

References

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Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.512 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.6561
  • Inclination: 4.07°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 221.25°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 317.06°
  • Mean Anomaly: 245.69°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~0.150 km
  • Magnitude: 21.8

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,450 days (3.97 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.85 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 4.16 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.86 AU

Map Comparison

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Orbit Simulation

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Sky Map

The position of 2009 AL 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 2009 AL 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.