Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 25,637,718 km of Earth in 2036
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 AF30 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 AF30 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2010 AF30 orbits the sun every 557 days (1.52 years), coming as close as 0.83 AU and reaching as far as 1.82 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2010 AF30 is probably between 0.080 to 0.356 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2010 AF30 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.60 hours.
Close Approaches
2010 AF30'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.
2010 AF30 has 20 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 18, 2036 | 25,637,718 | 15.000 |
| March 27, 2039 | 19,576,051 | 7.699 |
| June 6, 2042 | 23,348,752 | 8.262 |
| July 25, 2045 | 15,916,708 | 12.943 |
| March 2, 2068 | 8,301,516 | 9.510 |
| May 12, 2071 | 26,459,631 | 8.897 |
| July 18, 2074 | 6,535,302 | 10.106 |
| Feb. 26, 2097 | 9,556,960 | 11.179 |
| May 1, 2100 | 26,208,759 | 8.830 |
| July 13, 2103 | 9,925,449 | 8.724 |
| March 5, 2129 | 8,917,159 | 9.203 |
| May 14, 2132 | 26,454,484 | 8.870 |
| July 19, 2135 | 6,625,396 | 10.077 |
| Feb. 21, 2158 | 22,197,380 | 14.270 |
| April 5, 2161 | 21,595,635 | 7.954 |
| June 14, 2164 | 21,730,739 | 7.988 |
| July 30, 2167 | 20,329,200 | 13.871 |
| March 3, 2190 | 7,697,983 | 10.068 |
| May 6, 2193 | 26,405,720 | 8.872 |
| July 14, 2196 | 9,200,244 | 8.910 |
Images and Observations
2010 AF30's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 10, 2010. It was last officially observed on Nov. 23, 2015. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 95 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2010 AF30 can be reached with a journey of 418 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.815 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 17 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2010 AF30.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2010 AF30:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.325 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3719
- Inclination: 3.06°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 62.42°
- Argument of Periapsis: 162.83°
- Mean Anomaly: 272.59°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.218 km
- Magnitude: 21.7
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 557 days (1.52 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 25.88 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.82 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.83 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.60 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 AF30 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 2010 AF30 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.
