Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 25,865,666 km of Earth in 2047
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 TX168 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 TX168 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2010 TX168 orbits the sun every 660 days (1.81 years), coming as close as 0.71 AU and reaching as far as 2.26 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2010 TX168 is probably between 0.257 to 0.575 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.
The rotation of 2010 TX168 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 8.38 hours.
Close Approaches
2010 TX168'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 TX168 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 15, 2047 | 25,865,666 | 16.622 |
| April 25, 2056 | 3,712,506 | 20.117 |
| Nov. 8, 2066 | 20,360,742 | 18.494 |
| April 23, 2103 | 9,512,293 | 18.689 |
| May 2, 2112 | 19,861,008 | 22.829 |
| Nov. 6, 2113 | 20,909,136 | 20.763 |
| Nov. 11, 2122 | 29,120,772 | 16.632 |
| April 23, 2159 | 8,985,468 | 18.808 |
| May 1, 2168 | 16,617,059 | 22.285 |
| Nov. 5, 2169 | 23,193,490 | 21.384 |
| Nov. 10, 2178 | 24,316,951 | 17.594 |
Images and Observations
2010 TX168's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 11, 2010. It was last officially observed on Nov. 15, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 271 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 TX168:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.483 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5233
- Inclination: 26.02°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 32.92°
- Argument of Periapsis: 101.55°
- Mean Anomaly: 6.54°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.332 km
- Magnitude: 20.07
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 660 days (1.81 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 24.44 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.26 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.71 AU
- Rotation Period: 8.38 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 TX168 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 TX168 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.
