Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 14,950,773 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2012 BU61 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2012 BU61 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2012 BU61 orbits the sun every 1,470 days (4.02 years), coming as close as 0.56 AU and reaching as far as 4.49 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2012 BU61 is probably between 0.133 to 0.298 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2012 BU61's orbit is 0.03 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.
2012 BU61 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 5, 2020 | 14,950,773 | 26.189 |
| July 4, 2092 | 4,081,200 | 22.341 |
| Dec. 27, 2120 | 11,872,565 | 20.989 |
| Jan. 1, 2125 | 4,314,604 | 22.873 |
| Dec. 26, 2128 | 16,979,798 | 20.301 |
| Dec. 22, 2132 | 25,598,495 | 18.520 |
| June 22, 2156 | 18,165,431 | 27.840 |
| June 24, 2195 | 3,307,737 | 25.846 |
Images and Observations
2012 BU61's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 26, 2012. It was last officially observed on Jan. 18, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 81 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 2012 BU61:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.526 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7772
- Inclination: 5.23°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 296.23°
- Argument of Periapsis: 74.02°
- Mean Anomaly: 340.9°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.172 km
- Magnitude: 21.5
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,470 days (4.02 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.69 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.49 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.56 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2012 BU61 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 2012 BU61 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.
