Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.60 km diameter)
- Will pass within 12,098,587 km of Earth in 2027
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 TU149 is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 TU149 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2010 TU149 orbits the sun every 1,200 days (3.29 years), coming as close as 0.39 AU and reaching as far as 4.03 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. 2010 TU149 is about 0.6 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Close Approaches
2010 TU149'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 TU149 has 9 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 10, 2027 | 12,098,587 | 25.111 |
| June 10, 2050 | 14,765,154 | 24.769 |
| Nov. 11, 2069 | 24,706,220 | 22.726 |
| Nov. 6, 2092 | 7,456,497 | 25.877 |
| Nov. 11, 2115 | 16,966,871 | 24.254 |
| Nov. 5, 2138 | 2,285,988 | 28.006 |
| Nov. 9, 2161 | 6,576,728 | 25.985 |
| June 25, 2178 | 23,409,110 | 31.920 |
| Oct. 29, 2184 | 25,463,330 | 32.483 |
Images and Observations
2010 TU149's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 10, 2010. It was last officially observed on June 24, 2014. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 104 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 TU149:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.21 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.8245
- Inclination: 1.97°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 58.92°
- Argument of Periapsis: 92.6°
- Mean Anomaly: 324.21°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.60300 km
- Magnitude: 20.7
- Albedo: 0.025
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,200 days (3.29 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.04 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.03 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.39 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 TU149 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2010 TU149 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
