Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 25,984,367 km of Earth in 2020
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2013 EO126 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2013 EO126 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2013 EO126 orbits the sun every 1,270 days (3.48 years), coming as close as 0.50 AU and reaching as far as 4.09 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2013 EO126 is probably between 0.278 to 0.622 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.
Close Approaches
2013 EO126'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.
2013 EO126 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | 25,984,367 | 30.045 |
| Nov. 11, 2037 | 27,577,546 | 30.598 |
| Oct. 27, 2044 | 17,910,015 | 21.819 |
| April 14, 2072 | 8,838,325 | 24.150 |
| Nov. 4, 2096 | 8,703,246 | 25.847 |
| April 21, 2131 | 17,308,833 | 22.097 |
| April 5, 2138 | 29,727,114 | 31.098 |
| Oct. 26, 2155 | 28,552,491 | 19.910 |
Images and Observations
2013 EO126's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 15, 2013. It was last officially observed on March 30, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 304 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 2013 EO126:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.297 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.7818
- Inclination: 2.98°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 153.46°
- Argument of Periapsis: 148.52°
- Mean Anomaly: 343.12°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.359 km
- Magnitude: 19.9
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,270 days (3.48 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.68 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.09 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.50 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2013 EO126 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 2013 EO126 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.
