Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
- Will pass within 22,734,920 km of Earth in 2019
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2012 XL16 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2012 XL16 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 XL16 orbits the sun every 357 days (0.98 years), coming as close as 0.81 AU and reaching as far as 1.16 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2012 XL16 is probably between 0.014 to 0.062 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
Close Approaches
2012 XL16'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 XL16 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 17, 2019 | 22,734,920 | 10.196 |
| Nov. 28, 2053 | 29,070,919 | 11.703 |
| Nov. 24, 2054 | 7,691,900 | 7.334 |
| Feb. 8, 2058 | 27,187,846 | 5.183 |
| March 11, 2059 | 23,535,001 | 4.482 |
| June 15, 2059 | 24,115,365 | 5.002 |
| April 26, 2060 | 9,398,195 | 4.482 |
| April 20, 2061 | 13,714,269 | 8.302 |
Images and Observations
2012 XL16's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 6, 2012. It was last officially observed on Dec. 16, 2012. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 31 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2012 XL16 can be reached with a journey of 450 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 8.627 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 2,599 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2012 XL16.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2012 XL16:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.9844 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1784
- Inclination: 3.15°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 258.76°
- Argument of Periapsis: 59.1°
- Mean Anomaly: 102.11°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.038 km
- Magnitude: 25.5
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 357 days (0.98 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 30.00 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.16 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.81 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2012 XL16 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 XL16 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.
