Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building (0.37 km diameter)
- Will pass within 17,216,274 km of Earth in 2064
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2015 AY245 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2015 AY245 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2015 AY245 orbits the sun every 437 days (1.20 years), coming as close as 1.00 AU and reaching as far as 1.25 AU from the sun. 2015 AY245 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
2015 AY245'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.
2015 AY245 has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 19, 2064 | 17,216,274 | 7.721 |
| Feb. 15, 2070 | 6,722,144 | 7.351 |
| Feb. 15, 2076 | 5,908,606 | 7.351 |
| Feb. 18, 2082 | 15,017,444 | 7.583 |
| Feb. 23, 2088 | 29,424,312 | 8.772 |
| Feb. 8, 2135 | 21,634,429 | 9.068 |
| Feb. 11, 2141 | 9,098,535 | 7.847 |
| Feb. 13, 2147 | 4,550,676 | 7.557 |
| Feb. 10, 2153 | 11,483,909 | 8.044 |
| Feb. 7, 2159 | 24,986,418 | 9.488 |
Images and Observations
2015 AY245's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 13, 2015. It was last officially observed on Sept. 28, 2021. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 269 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
2015 AY245 can be reached with a journey of 370 days. This trajectory would require a delta-v of 11.78 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 27 potential trajectories and launch windows to this asteroid.
See more at the NHATS Mission Trajectories table for 2015 AY245.
Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2015 AY245:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.127 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.1094
- Inclination: 13.59°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 143.65°
- Argument of Periapsis: 13.07°
- Mean Anomaly: 60.13°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.37400 km
- Magnitude: 20.99
- Albedo: 0.042
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 437 days (1.20 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 28.06 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 1.25 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.00 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2015 AY245 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 2015 AY245 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.
