Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 6,723,523 km of Earth in 2033
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2012 HZ33 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2012 HZ33 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2012 HZ33 orbits the sun every 479 days (1.31 years), coming as close as 0.95 AU and reaching as far as 1.45 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2012 HZ33 is probably between 0.221 to 0.494 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2012 HZ33's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is very close to Earth's orbit.
2012 HZ33 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2033 | 6,723,523 | 14.224 |
| May 19, 2050 | 9,865,704 | 13.112 |
| May 7, 2071 | 27,749,850 | 16.467 |
| May 15, 2088 | 1,823,083 | 13.843 |
| May 20, 2118 | 8,791,542 | 13.158 |
| May 12, 2135 | 14,105,153 | 14.930 |
| May 19, 2165 | 6,076,008 | 13.298 |
| May 15, 2182 | 5,445,020 | 14.119 |
Images and Observations
2012 HZ33's orbit is determined by observations dating back to April 28, 2012. It was last officially observed on Dec. 24, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 174 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 HZ33:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.197 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2103
- Inclination: 23.88°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 54.9°
- Argument of Periapsis: 231.59°
- Mean Anomaly: 190.37°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.285 km
- Magnitude: 20.4
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 479 days (1.31 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 27.19 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.45 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.95 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2012 HZ33 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 HZ33 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.
