Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 29,749,974 km of Earth in 2026
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 VB is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 VB 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 VB orbits the sun every 324 days (0.89 years), coming as close as 0.62 AU and reaching as far as 1.23 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2010 VB is probably between 0.013 to 0.059 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2010 VB'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 VB has 24 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 4, 2026 | 29,749,974 | 15.697 |
| July 16, 2040 | 18,498,683 | 12.181 |
| Oct. 10, 2041 | 29,338,135 | 7.398 |
| July 14, 2048 | 13,358,858 | 8.817 |
| Oct. 30, 2049 | 18,997,054 | 7.023 |
| July 23, 2056 | 23,054,929 | 6.490 |
| Nov. 9, 2057 | 4,155,821 | 8.974 |
| Aug. 5, 2064 | 27,957,095 | 6.732 |
| Nov. 9, 2065 | 3,196,294 | 10.198 |
| Nov. 5, 2073 | 23,430,393 | 14.364 |
| July 16, 2087 | 13,695,765 | 10.500 |
| Oct. 21, 2088 | 24,317,241 | 7.100 |
| July 21, 2095 | 21,214,686 | 6.601 |
| Nov. 9, 2096 | 4,907,683 | 8.831 |
| Nov. 8, 2104 | 14,828,223 | 12.603 |
| July 19, 2118 | 20,722,065 | 12.774 |
| Oct. 10, 2119 | 29,721,102 | 7.444 |
| July 16, 2126 | 16,039,891 | 7.605 |
| Nov. 8, 2127 | 11,275,754 | 7.696 |
| Nov. 9, 2135 | 14,579,914 | 12.523 |
| July 17, 2149 | 14,984,523 | 11.073 |
| Oct. 20, 2150 | 25,204,182 | 7.149 |
| Nov. 10, 2158 | 3,705,981 | 9.068 |
| Nov. 9, 2166 | 9,617,838 | 11.511 |
Images and Observations
2010 VB's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Oct. 28, 2010. It was last officially observed on Nov. 10, 2010. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 100 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2010 VB can be reached with a journey of 418 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.287 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 345 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2010 VB.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2010 VB:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9229 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.332
- Inclination: 5.09°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 39.94°
- Argument of Periapsis: 128.58°
- Mean Anomaly: 85.94°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.036 km
- Magnitude: 25.6
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 324 days (0.89 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 30.99 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.23 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.62 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 VB 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 VB 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.
