Key Facts
- Categorized as a Amor-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a football field (0.31 km diameter)
- Will pass within 11,682,499 km of Earth in 2059
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2015 LK24 is a very small asteroid whose orbit approaches the orbit of Earth but does not cross it. NASA JPL has classified 2015 LK24 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2015 LK24 orbits the sun every 1,600 days (4.38 years), coming as close as 1.02 AU and reaching as far as 4.32 AU from the sun. 2015 LK24 is about 0.3 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, comparable in size to a football field.
The rotation of 2015 LK24 has been observed. It completes a rotation on its axis every 18.55 hours.
Close Approaches
2015 LK24's orbit is 0.03 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 LK24 has 3 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2059 | 11,682,499 | 10.839 |
| June 26, 2081 | 6,993,719 | 12.051 |
| July 1, 2116 | 6,363,635 | 11.555 |
Images and Observations
2015 LK24's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 14, 2015. It was last officially observed on Oct. 10, 2015. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 163 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 LK24:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.672 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6173
- Inclination: 14.41°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 94.87°
- Argument of Periapsis: 202.54°
- Mean Anomaly: 313.54°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: 0.30600 km
- Magnitude: 21.46
- Albedo: 0.043
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,600 days (4.38 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 18.17 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 4.32 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 1.02 AU
- Rotation Period: 18.55 hours
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2015 LK24 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 LK24 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.
