2013 RZ53

Key Facts

• Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
• Comparable in size to a school bus or smaller
• Will pass within 21,872,254 km of Earth in 2055
• Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
• Not a Potentially Hazardous Object
• See orbit simulation

Overview

2013 RZ53 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2013 RZ53 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.

2013 RZ53 orbits the sun every 374 days (1.02 years), coming as close as 0.99 AU and reaching as far as 1.04 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2013 RZ53 is probably between 0.002 to 0.004 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.

Close Approaches

2013 RZ53's orbit is 0.00 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.

2013 RZ53 has 1 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:

NASA Sentry has assessed impact risk for 18 very close approach scenarios. Here are the top scenarios ordered by probability of impact:

Images and Observations

2013 RZ53's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Sept. 13, 2013. It was last officially observed on Sept. 16, 2013. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 27 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 RZ53:

• 4581 Asclepius (1989 FC)
• 10563 Izhdubar (1993 WD)
• 54509 YORP (2000 PH5)

References

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

Orbit Simulation

Sky Map

The position of 2013 RZ53 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.