Key Facts
- Categorized as a Aten-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building
- Will pass within 8,359,925 km of Earth in 2023
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2015 ME131 is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2015 ME131 as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2015 ME131 orbits the sun every 269 days (0.74 years), coming as close as 0.64 AU and reaching as far as 0.99 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2015 ME131 is probably between 0.318 to 0.711 kilometers in diameter, making it larger than 90% of asteroids but tiny compared to large asteroids, very roughly comparable in size to the U.S. Capitol building.
Close Approaches
2015 ME131's orbit is 0.04 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 ME131 has 20 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 11, 2023 | 8,359,925 | 16.550 |
| Aug. 13, 2037 | 20,260,242 | 16.579 |
| Aug. 5, 2040 | 22,730,269 | 17.992 |
| Aug. 10, 2054 | 6,659,732 | 16.715 |
| Aug. 13, 2068 | 23,695,518 | 16.660 |
| Aug. 7, 2071 | 17,162,381 | 17.505 |
| Aug. 12, 2085 | 14,904,993 | 16.484 |
| Aug. 5, 2088 | 24,917,549 | 18.182 |
| Aug. 13, 2102 | 12,429,773 | 16.482 |
| Aug. 6, 2105 | 26,664,821 | 18.360 |
| Aug. 13, 2119 | 14,026,895 | 16.480 |
| Aug. 6, 2122 | 24,446,679 | 18.139 |
| Aug. 13, 2136 | 16,615,945 | 16.500 |
| Aug. 7, 2139 | 21,946,117 | 17.903 |
| Aug. 13, 2153 | 16,390,072 | 16.507 |
| Aug. 6, 2156 | 23,138,234 | 18.020 |
| Aug. 13, 2170 | 11,285,396 | 16.500 |
| Aug. 5, 2173 | 29,103,067 | 18.603 |
| Aug. 13, 2187 | 10,067,439 | 16.500 |
| Aug. 6, 2190 | 28,800,720 | 18.562 |
Images and Observations
2015 ME131's orbit is determined by observations dating back to June 23, 2015. It was last officially observed on July 24, 2023. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 58 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 ME131:References
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or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 0.8164 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.2121
- Inclination: 33.64°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 317.78°
- Argument of Periapsis: 156.87°
- Mean Anomaly: 255.23°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.411 km
- Magnitude: 19.61
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 269 days (0.74 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 33.02 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 0.99 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.64 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2015 ME131 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 ME131 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.
