Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building (0.41 km diameter)
- Will pass within 21,199,648 km of Earth in 2059
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2014 PW59 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2014 PW59 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2014 PW59 orbits the sun every 1,380 days (3.78 years), coming as close as 0.74 AU and reaching as far as 4.11 AU from the sun. 2014 PW59 is about 0.4 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.
Close Approaches
2014 PW59'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.
2014 PW59 has 5 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 19, 2059 | 21,199,648 | 22.968 |
| July 10, 2070 | 23,904,131 | 14.422 |
| July 30, 2085 | 10,684,028 | 20.050 |
| March 6, 2130 | 9,921,042 | 17.264 |
| Feb. 23, 2145 | 26,242,190 | 23.113 |
Images and Observations
2014 PW59's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 28, 2014. It was last officially observed on Aug. 14, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 98 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 PW59:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.421 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6963
- Inclination: 2.28°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 298.85°
- Argument of Periapsis: 291.71°
- Mean Anomaly: 162.34°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.41200 km
- Magnitude: 20.9
- Albedo: 0.045
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,380 days (3.78 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 19.09 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.11 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.74 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2014 PW59 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 PW59 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.
