Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 29,054,545 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2010 XN is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2010 XN 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 XN orbits the sun every 437 days (1.20 years), coming as close as 0.74 AU and reaching as far as 1.52 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2010 XN is probably between 0.025 to 0.112 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2010 XN's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2010 XN has 18 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 14, 2022 | 29,054,545 | 16.180 |
| June 28, 2024 | 5,413,670 | 11.324 |
| June 22, 2030 | 8,725,297 | 8.574 |
| May 29, 2036 | 25,614,182 | 6.551 |
| Jan. 16, 2072 | 23,510,178 | 6.379 |
| Dec. 30, 2077 | 13,698,977 | 7.545 |
| Dec. 28, 2083 | 7,821,541 | 8.733 |
| Dec. 27, 2089 | 7,235,173 | 8.862 |
| Dec. 30, 2095 | 11,660,919 | 7.946 |
| Jan. 7, 2102 | 19,596,597 | 6.499 |
| Jan. 28, 2108 | 26,932,532 | 7.073 |
| May 19, 2156 | 29,167,563 | 7.369 |
| June 16, 2162 | 18,739,624 | 6.730 |
| June 23, 2168 | 9,369,844 | 8.492 |
| June 26, 2174 | 4,309,294 | 9.487 |
| June 23, 2180 | 9,608,010 | 8.450 |
| June 19, 2186 | 16,170,678 | 7.186 |
| June 1, 2192 | 25,063,457 | 6.490 |
Images and Observations
2010 XN's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 1, 2010. It was last officially observed on Dec. 11, 2016. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 74 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2010 XN can be reached with a journey of 394 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 10.244 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 2,949 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2010 XN.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2010 XN:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.126 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.3465
- Inclination: 1.08°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 78.92°
- Argument of Periapsis: 101.67°
- Mean Anomaly: 176.03°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.069 km
- Magnitude: 24.2
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 437 days (1.20 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.03 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.52 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.74 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2010 XN 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 XN 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.
