Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field
- Will pass within 17,440,558 km of Earth in 2026
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2014 AF51 is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2014 AF51 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2014 AF51 orbits the sun every 872 days (2.39 years), coming as close as 1.02 AU and reaching as far as 2.55 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2014 AF51 is probably between 0.207 to 0.463 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a football field.
Close Approaches
2014 AF51'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.
2014 AF51 has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| March 19, 2026 | 17,440,558 | 8.942 |
| March 16, 2057 | 20,956,889 | 9.839 |
| May 26, 2076 | 15,614,923 | 9.197 |
| May 11, 2107 | 3,470,256 | 6.576 |
| March 14, 2119 | 25,886,155 | 11.205 |
| May 24, 2150 | 10,282,413 | 8.222 |
| April 1, 2162 | 8,456,132 | 7.198 |
| June 4, 2193 | 22,424,394 | 10.815 |
Images and Observations
2014 AF51's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 10, 2014. It was last officially observed on Dec. 7, 2020. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 118 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 2014 AF51:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.786 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.4303
- Inclination: 2.8°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 237.64°
- Argument of Periapsis: 330.31°
- Mean Anomaly: 331.87°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.268 km
- Magnitude: 20.54
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 872 days (2.39 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 22.28 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 2.55 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.02 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2014 AF51 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 2014 AF51 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.
