2012 HN

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
• Will pass within 17,562,870 km of Earth in 2026
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

2012 HN is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2012 HN 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.

2012 HN orbits the sun every 393 days (1.08 years), coming as close as 0.81 AU and reaching as far as 1.29 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2012 HN is probably between 0.042 to 0.094 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.

Close Approaches

2012 HN's orbit is 0.02 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 HN has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

Images and Observations

2012 HN's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 16, 2012. It was last officially observed on April 21, 2012. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 21 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 HN:

• 4034 Vishnu (1986 PA)
• 4544 Xanthus (1989 FB)
• 68950 (2002 QF15)

References

• JPL Small Body Database
• Mission Design
• Sky Finder Chart

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 2012 HN 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 HN 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.