Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon (1.29 km diameter)
- Will pass within 21,180,030 km of Earth in 2028
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2015 KL157 is a mid-sized asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2015 KL157 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2015 KL157 orbits the sun every 1,570 days (4.30 years), coming as close as 1.01 AU and reaching as far as 4.28 AU from the sun. 2015 KL157 is about 1.3 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 99% of asteroids, comparable in size to the U.S. Pentagon.
Close Approaches
2015 KL157'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.
2015 KL157 has 4 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| June 22, 2028 | 21,180,030 | 22.181 |
| June 19, 2041 | 29,046,230 | 22.541 |
| June 29, 2123 | 5,912,387 | 21.758 |
| June 25, 2179 | 15,776,281 | 22.162 |
Images and Observations
2015 KL157's orbit is determined by observations dating back to May 21, 2015. It was last officially observed on Jan. 12, 2019. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 182 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 KL157:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.643 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6176
- Inclination: 35.52°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 279.24°
- Argument of Periapsis: 5.11°
- Mean Anomaly: 321.67°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 1.28800 km
- Magnitude: 18.68
- Albedo: 0.024
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,570 days (4.30 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.31 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.28 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.01 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2015 KL157 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 above comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2015 KL157 to create an approximate landscape rendering with Mount Everest in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
