Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 17,725,930 km of Earth in 2026
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 WB3 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 WB3 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 WB3 orbits the sun every 700 days (1.92 years), coming as close as 0.35 AU and reaching as far as 2.74 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2010 WB3 is probably between 0.278 to 0.622 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.
Close Approaches
2010 WB3's orbit is 0.11 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 WB3 has 11 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2026 | 17,725,930 | 27.494 |
| Nov. 14, 2035 | 22,309,994 | 26.236 |
| July 14, 2049 | 16,902,614 | 27.018 |
| Nov. 14, 2058 | 22,246,213 | 25.800 |
| July 16, 2072 | 19,258,853 | 28.264 |
| Nov. 16, 2081 | 23,701,760 | 24.436 |
| July 18, 2095 | 21,218,417 | 28.950 |
| Nov. 17, 2104 | 24,157,674 | 24.174 |
| July 21, 2118 | 25,930,280 | 30.271 |
| July 10, 2189 | 23,386,698 | 22.816 |
| Nov. 11, 2198 | 28,095,783 | 29.698 |
Images and Observations
2010 WB3's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 26, 2010. It was last officially observed on Nov. 10, 2012. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 129 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 WB3:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.543 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7738
- Inclination: 8.92°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 334.72°
- Argument of Periapsis: 195.18°
- Mean Anomaly: 210.67°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.359 km
- Magnitude: 19.9
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 700 days (1.92 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 23.98 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.74 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.35 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 WB3 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 WB3 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.
