Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building (0.44 km diameter)
- Will pass within 23,837,554 km of Earth in 2023
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2015 DU180 is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2015 DU180 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2015 DU180 orbits the sun every 976 days (2.67 years), coming as close as 0.15 AU and reaching as far as 3.70 AU from the sun. Its orbit is highly elliptical. 2015 DU180 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 DU180's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that its orbit is relatively close to Earth's orbit.
2015 DU180 has 10 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 11, 2023 | 23,837,554 | 31.345 |
| Feb. 16, 2031 | 12,530,627 | 35.071 |
| Feb. 23, 2039 | 26,087,787 | 40.005 |
| May 3, 2052 | 10,626,407 | 37.707 |
| May 8, 2060 | 5,766,299 | 34.400 |
| Feb. 14, 2114 | 18,246,921 | 32.768 |
| Feb. 23, 2122 | 24,066,330 | 39.402 |
| May 7, 2135 | 6,182,040 | 36.831 |
| May 13, 2143 | 14,800,609 | 32.664 |
| Feb. 17, 2197 | 14,127,976 | 34.649 |
Images and Observations
2015 DU180's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Jan. 31, 2015. It was last officially observed on Feb. 22, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 67 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 2015 DU180:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 1.926 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.9221
- Inclination: 4.86°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 51.74°
- Argument of Periapsis: 315.42°
- Mean Anomaly: 93.14°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.43500 km
- Magnitude: 20.93
- Albedo: 0.045
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 976 days (2.67 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 21.47 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.70 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.15 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2015 DU180 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 DU180 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.
