Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 19,517,020 km of Earth in 2032
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 KQ10 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 KQ10 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2010 KQ10 orbits the sun every 1,340 days (3.67 years), coming as close as 0.80 AU and reaching as far as 3.96 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2010 KQ10 is probably between 0.125 to 0.279 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
Close Approaches
2010 KQ10's orbit is 0.02 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 KQ10 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 25, 2032 | 19,517,020 | 12.437 |
| May 6, 2043 | 13,022,362 | 13.662 |
| Jan. 5, 2065 | 18,106,882 | 18.391 |
| April 17, 2116 | 26,800,367 | 12.832 |
| Feb. 1, 2138 | 25,778,710 | 12.538 |
| May 14, 2167 | 4,871,828 | 15.118 |
Images and Observations
2010 KQ10's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 20, 2010. It was last officially observed on Feb. 7, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 48 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 KQ10:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.384 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6629
- Inclination: 6.7°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 243.91°
- Argument of Periapsis: 287.75°
- Mean Anomaly: 245.68°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.161 km
- Magnitude: 21.64
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,340 days (3.67 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.35 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.96 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.80 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 KQ10 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 KQ10 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.
