2011 KE

Very small Apollo-class Asteroid

Near-Earth Potentially Hazardous
Space Reference » Apollo-class Asteroids » 2011 KE

Key Facts

  • Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
  • Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
  • Will pass within 9,393,002 km of Earth in 2054
  • Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
  • Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
  • See orbit simulation

Overview

2011 KE is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2011 KE as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.

2011 KE orbits the sun every 1,200 days (3.29 years), coming as close as 0.10 AU and reaching as far as 4.31 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2011 KE is probably between 0.290 to 0.649 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 2011 KE has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 8.20 hours.

Close Approaches

2011 KE's orbit is 0.04 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.

2011 KE has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Date Distance from Earth (km) Velocity (km/s)
March 20, 2054 9,393,002 36.824
May 27, 2070 10,465,270 38.383
March 17, 2113 23,159,642 33.866
May 25, 2129 15,259,186 40.588
March 25, 2149 7,512,984 39.011
May 31, 2165 11,887,329 37.377

Images and Observations

2011 KE's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 21, 2011. It was last officially observed on April 15, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 203 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 2011 KE:

References

Search

   or view a random object

Orbital Elements

  • Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
  • Semi-major axis: 2.207 AU
  • Eccentricity: 0.9547
  • Inclination: 5.89°
  • Longitude of Ascending Node: 205.01°
  • Argument of Periapsis: 188.55°
  • Mean Anomaly: 258.97°

Physical Characteristics

  • Diameter: ~0.375 km
  • Magnitude: 19.81

Derived Characteristics

  • Orbit Period: 1,200 days (3.29 years)
  • Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.01 km/s
  • Aphelion Distance: 4.31 AU
  • Perihelion Distance: 0.10 AU
  • Rotation Period: 8.20 hours

Map Comparison

Click to load map

Orbit Simulation

⧉

Sky Map

The position of 2011 KE 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 2011 KE 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.