Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller (0.03 km diameter)
- Will pass within 18,701,400 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 FX9 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 FX9 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.
2010 FX9 orbits the sun every 440 days (1.20 years), coming as close as 0.72 AU and reaching as far as 1.55 AU from the sun. 2010 FX9 is about 0.0 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2010 FX9's orbit is 0.01 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 FX9 has 19 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 7, 2020 | 18,701,400 | 14.335 |
| March 25, 2022 | 19,087,527 | 14.468 |
| Sept. 14, 2026 | 3,592,481 | 11.068 |
| Sept. 16, 2032 | 5,758,122 | 9.778 |
| Sept. 25, 2038 | 18,392,241 | 7.283 |
| March 14, 2075 | 12,168,213 | 8.368 |
| March 21, 2081 | 6,337,428 | 11.948 |
| Sept. 12, 2085 | 8,186,647 | 12.235 |
| Sept. 21, 2091 | 13,053,854 | 8.262 |
| March 13, 2122 | 17,140,802 | 7.403 |
| March 21, 2128 | 4,124,194 | 11.470 |
| Sept. 14, 2132 | 7,189,000 | 12.020 |
| Sept. 28, 2138 | 18,808,414 | 7.213 |
| March 15, 2163 | 14,418,628 | 7.935 |
| Sept. 7, 2167 | 28,814,523 | 16.359 |
| March 24, 2169 | 11,376,965 | 12.955 |
| Sept. 17, 2173 | 2,590,380 | 10.632 |
| Oct. 21, 2179 | 28,363,389 | 7.325 |
| Feb. 21, 2198 | 26,962,878 | 6.748 |
Images and Observations
2010 FX9's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 21, 2010. It was last officially observed on March 28, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 100 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 2010 FX9:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.132 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.367
- Inclination: 3.78°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 10.11°
- Argument of Periapsis: 75.08°
- Mean Anomaly: 129.88°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.03000 km
- Magnitude: 24.06
- Albedo: 0.425
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 440 days (1.20 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.99 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.55 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.72 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 FX9 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 FX9 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.
