Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge (0.65 km diameter)
- Will pass within 10,061,706 km of Earth in 2031
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2013 WT44 is a small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2013 WT44 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2013 WT44 orbits the sun every 1,240 days (3.39 years), coming as close as 0.98 AU and reaching as far as 3.54 AU from the sun. 2013 WT44 is about 0.7 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than ~97% of asteroids but small compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The rotation of 2013 WT44 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 2.88 hours.
Close Approaches
2013 WT44'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 WT44 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 23, 2031 | 10,061,706 | 12.066 |
| March 31, 2048 | 22,340,620 | 14.371 |
| March 23, 2133 | 3,041,252 | 11.951 |
| March 27, 2150 | 9,121,119 | 12.731 |
| April 2, 2167 | 15,956,048 | 14.060 |
| April 10, 2184 | 28,717,418 | 16.462 |
Images and Observations
2013 WT44's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Nov. 27, 2013. It was last officially observed on Oct. 10, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 544 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 WT44:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.264 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.5656
- Inclination: 12.21°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 182.68°
- Argument of Periapsis: 325.84°
- Mean Anomaly: 291.92°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.65300 km
- Magnitude: 19.32
- Albedo: 0.079
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,240 days (3.39 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.86 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.54 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.98 AU
- Rotation Period: 2.88 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2013 WT44 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2013 WT44 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
