Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 6,753,666 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2009 OS5 is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2009 OS5 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.
2009 OS5 orbits the sun every 449 days (1.23 years), coming as close as 1.03 AU and reaching as far as 1.26 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2009 OS5 is probably between 0.023 to 0.103 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2009 OS5's orbit is 0.03 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.
2009 OS5 has 18 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2020 | 6,753,666 | 2.555 |
| June 20, 2036 | 4,970,348 | 1.580 |
| April 19, 2047 | 18,326,723 | 0.802 |
| July 22, 2047 | 14,306,948 | 4.176 |
| Oct. 8, 2063 | 28,522,127 | 2.907 |
| June 24, 2074 | 4,861,629 | 1.554 |
| May 25, 2085 | 20,093,852 | 5.008 |
| Sept. 12, 2085 | 21,284,490 | 1.654 |
| March 7, 2102 | 27,805,200 | 3.085 |
| July 18, 2113 | 7,049,506 | 2.653 |
| March 17, 2124 | 26,062,267 | 2.712 |
| July 30, 2124 | 28,189,503 | 6.883 |
| Oct. 4, 2140 | 26,972,677 | 2.642 |
| June 15, 2151 | 6,835,971 | 2.043 |
| Oct. 12, 2162 | 27,781,712 | 2.855 |
| April 7, 2179 | 20,739,273 | 1.636 |
| July 28, 2179 | 18,232,071 | 4.915 |
| July 10, 2190 | 3,740,227 | 1.725 |
Images and Observations
2009 OS5's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 21, 2009. It was last officially observed on Sept. 12, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 113 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2009 OS5 can be reached with a journey of 410 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 6.078 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 410,475 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2009 OS5.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2009 OS5:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.148 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.0994
- Inclination: 1.71°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 144.35°
- Argument of Periapsis: 122.81°
- Mean Anomaly: 224.8°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.063 km
- Magnitude: 24.4
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 449 days (1.23 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.82 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.26 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.03 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2009 OS5 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 OS5 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.
