2014 FN38 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2014 FN38 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.
2014 FN38 orbits the sun every 273 days (0.75 years), coming as close as 0.57 AU and reaching as far as 1.08 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2014 FN38 is probably between 0.008 to 0.034 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2014 FN38's orbit is 0.01 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 FN38 has 6 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| April 22, 2020 | 13,452,969 | 6.499 |
| May 25, 2026 | 14,751,687 | 7.482 |
| May 29, 2029 | 19,413,406 | 9.633 |
| May 29, 2032 | 28,767,846 | 12.259 |
| March 21, 2061 | 22,220,798 | 12.112 |
| March 20, 2064 | 10,434,700 | 9.651 |
2014 FN38's orbit is determined by observations dating back to March 28, 2014. It was last officially observed on April 4, 2014. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 38 observations used to determine its orbit.
2014 FN38 can be reached with a journey of 274 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.894 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 8 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2014 FN38.
The position of 2014 FN38 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.